


Born Nameless

by Koizumi_Scarlet



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Blood and Gore, F/F, F/M, M/M, Sexual Content, some canon divergence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-23 16:23:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 35
Words: 126,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13791510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koizumi_Scarlet/pseuds/Koizumi_Scarlet
Summary: Anamika has been alone from the start of the apocalypse and she likes it that way. Groups meant vulnerability, which meant death and Anamika wanted to survive. However, circumstances change and when she agrees to give Alexandria a chance, she finds that she just might not have met the right sort of people before, in particular a dirty, gruff redneck with a hidden heart of gold.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so I am doing something I've sworn to never do. I am posting a fic that I haven't finished yet. I have about 16 chapters so far and I am pumping them out, but there is still that chance that something happens and I can't work on it for a while, so I need you guys to tell me if you want me to continue posting while I write, with the chance of having a pause somewhere down the line, or if you'd rather I wait till I finished it (because I am finishing it, I'm not writing season 9 and at this point it's debatable if I'm writing the second half of season 8.)
> 
> Further, be aware that these are quite short chapters, between 2000-4000 words depending and that it is a slow-burn. My OC only officially meets Team Family around Chapter 9/10 and the relationship between her and Daryl isn't going to happen within 1 chapter. I mean, it'll probably move faster than some others out there, but it's not going to be immediate. I'm also moving quite fast through season 3-part of 5, since I wanted to get to Alexandria, so sorry for those of you who really liked those seasons, they didn't work in my fic.
> 
> Disclaimer: Walking Dead is not mine, only my oc is and since I think disclaimers are stupid considering the nature of the site, I won't be posting one again:)
> 
> Anyway, enjoy and let me know what you think!

 

The forest was uncommonly quiet around her, the only sound that reached her ears being the soft crunch of her boots treading carefully upon dried leaves and sticks. It made her more alert, as she was used to at least hearing a bird call or the rustle of small critters scavenging for food. She knew this forest should be abundant in wild life, as the season was right for the animals to be procreating and flourishing. Of course, the world basically being taken over by the dead made the silence a bit more understandable and it was that exact fact that had her on guard, her machete up and her hand hovering over her thigh holster that carried a scavenged pistol.

She crept through the woods, her eyes constantly roving and her mind determinedly focused on searching for danger and not dwelling on her empty stomach. It had been three days since she had seen any wildlife and two days since she had eaten her last can of peas. Suffice to say, her stomach was rumbling and she swear she could feel the strength fleeing her body. Although she could go for much longer without food and still survive, seeing as she had enough water, she didn't exactly  _want_  to go days without food; it made her tire more easily and caused her to become less observant.

So here she was, at the crack of dawn, prowling around the woods with her reliable Ruger 10/22 rifle slung across her back, her black cold steel 18" bolo machete in hand and her other hand resting comfortably on her Glock 17. Besides these three weapons, she also had a kukri strapped to the small of her back, a bowie knife in its sheath at her hip opposite from her pistol, four small throwing knives resting comfortably in pockets on the insides of her durable combat boots and a small pocket knife hidden in an inside pocket of her sports bra.

Anamika was not your typical survivor. Though she looked normal at first sight, standing tall at 5' 8", with deep burgundy hair curling down her back and startling blue eyes, there was just something odd about her. People who encountered her had felt that unsettling feeling of being in the midst of a predator while they were all prey, but usually by the time they realised what it meant or how different to them she really was, it was too late. She was either gone, or they were.

A crack to Anamika's left caused her head to snap around, her body stilling as she tilted her head slightly, listening intently as her eyes roamed the shrubbery before her. When nothing stumbles out of the brush, she slowly crept forward, her body low and moving elegantly through the bushes, her footsteps entirely silent now. She finally came to a small brook and crouched down, making sure nothing was around to jump out at her. When all remained quiet, she continued on, crouching beside the stream, where she saw deer prints sunk deep into the mud around the river. Her eyes followed the direction the deer was heading in and with a slight hesitation, she quickly followed the tracks, making sure to stay quiet, but still move fast.

Those tracks had only been a couple of hours old, maybe even one hour and they didn't look as if the deer was moving in a hurry. She was confident she could catch up to it, if none of the dead had gotten to it yet, and the thought had her stomach cramping in anticipation. Treading carefully to make sure she made no noise, she silently stalked her prey, keeping a watchful eye out for anything else that could be stalking her. After an hour of following the deer tracks, she saw a slight gap in the trees up ahead, and through the gaps, the barest glimpse of a brown hide. However, from where she was she didn't have a reliable shot, but if she went any closer, the deer would notice her, since she could hunt, but wasn't a master at evading the wildlife's notice. She'd already, unknowingly, stalked too close to the deer and she could see its ears twitching curiously. Luckily, she was downwind from the creature, so her smell wouldn't give her away.

Making a split second decision, Anamika quickly climbed the tree next to her, thankful for the thick low-hanging branches as she pulled her body up. Once midway up and when she could see the deer completely, she braced her body against the trunk and carefully swung her rifle around. Peering through the scope, she grinned when she saw that it was a massive buck, which she guessed had to be around at least 300 pounds. The apocalypse had been good to this one and being left alone to grow had caused it to reach massive proportions. Though she was uncertain of how she was going to carry the heavy animal back to her camp, she knew that as soon as she got that beast skinned and smoked, she would be set for a while. Breathing in deeply, she lined up her shot, her finger gently inching towards the trigger, when a foul smell wafted across her senses.

Her head shot up and around, trying to see where it came from and to her disgust, she saw a herd of about a dozen dead stumbling through the trees. They were still a ways off, but it did mean that after she shot the buck, she will have to be quick when gutting it and hopefully the organs she leaves behind will be enough to distract the dead and give her a head start. Whipping back around, she peered through the scope again and aimed, ready to shoot, when another curse ripped through her lips.

Someone had just shot her prey!

She cursed again as she looked at the green feathered bolt that had hit the deer dead centre in the eye, causing the buck to die instantly and crash to the ground. The next few moments seemed to stretch out over a century as her mind raced, even though it took her only about a second to react. She needed food and she couldn't afford to let this buck go. However, she also respected that someone else shot the animal first and with a crossbow no less, if the bolt is to be believed; so she doesn't want to steal another's kill. It took her less than a second to come to a decision. She needed that meat and though she wouldn't steal their entire kill, she would take a bit just to tide her over until she can find more food.

Slinging her rifle across her body, she let out a piercing whistle as she jumped out of the tree, rolling to lessen the impact her of her jump and coming up running. She knew the dead would have heard her whistle and be on their way here, though she also knew that it would still be enough time for her to take a piece of the deer and get away, while giving the person who shot it the option of either abandoning the deer and chasing her, thus losing it to the dead; or grabbing the deer and getting away from the dead, thus not following her.

She felt a moment of guilt over the danger she's placing the unknown person in, but if they could handle a crossbow with the precision the bolt in the deer's eye suggested, she's sure they could handle the dead. She burst into the clearing, sprinting towards the deer and sliding to a stop next to it. Her bowie knife was already in her hand and without hesitating, she lifted the front leg of the buck and drove the knife into the part where the leg and the bottom of the body meet, sliding her knife through the muscle and tendons. With quick, efficient movements, she brought the knife around the leg, separating the foreleg and part of the shoulder from the rest of the body. It had enough meat on it to last her a few days, maybe even two weeks if she rationed and found other food to add to it; ground down the bones to make soup and such.

" _Hey_! That's  _my_  deer bitch!"

Her head shot up at the angry yell and at the far end of the clearing, the direction the bolt had been shot from, an angry man came running from the trees. He had dark brown hair that hung slightly in his face and a leather vest over dirty clothes. In his hands he held a black crossbow, an arrow already loaded and pointed towards her. All in all, he looked like a typical redneck and Anamika didn't want to stick around and have to fight him, especially because he was also just trying to survive and she was, technically, stealing from him. Grabbing the leg, she jumped up and sprinted in the opposite direction, keeping in mind to make sure she didn't run towards the dead coming their way.

She heard the sound of the crossbow releasing the bolt and the sound of the bolt traveling through the air towards her. Without stopping, she dove and rolled, feeling the arrow going over her head and felt momentarily stunned that the redneck hadn't aimed to kill her, otherwise the arrow wouldn't have almost touched her as she rolled, it would have been higher up. Ignoring the oddness of someone not trying to kill her, she came back up running, her arms pumping.

"You better get that deer and go Katniss, a herd of the dead is on their way!" She yelled over her shoulder, laughing as the redneck cursed behind her and yelled foul names. Well, at least if he was making that much noise, she knew he could handle the dead. Glancing over her shoulder quickly, she breathed in sharply as she saw the man hoist the deer over his shoulders, stunned at the amount of strength that had to take. When she reached the treeline, she paused, turning around now that she knew the man wasn't chasing her. She felt bad how she left him, carrying a buck close to 300 pounds while trying to escape the dead that she could see now emerging from the forest, faster than she had thought they would. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes and sighed angrily at herself.

Curse her bleeding heart.

Dropping the foreleg, she swung her rifle around and felt thankful that she had taken the time this morning to screw on the suppressor she found, as otherwise she would have brought even more trouble on herself now. Lining up her scope, she trained it on the redneck and then directed it towards the closest of the dead. Breathing out, she pulled the trigger and watched as the dead man dropped to the ground in a spray of dark red. She could see the redneck startling as he turned his head, looking at the dead body on the ground and then in her direction. She knew when he saw her, standing just inside the treeline and she figured this is the best way for her to apologise for stealing some of his deer.

Breathing in and out, she quickly and efficiently dropped another four of the dead and when the man was out of sight, having entered the forest again, she swung her rifle back around and grabbed her pistol. Raising it, she aimed at the nearest undead and pulled the trigger, watching as the woman dropped to the ground and the rest of the herd turn towards her, forgetting all about the redneck they could no longer see and instead heading towards the place the gunshot originated from. By the time they reached the spot the sound that had attracted them originated from, there was nothing there except a puddle of blood and a flattened patch of grass.

**

Daryl cursed up a storm as he trudged back to the prison, fuming at the events of this morning. He wasn't sure what he was more mad about, that some chick had stolen some of his deer, or that he couldn't even properly hate her for it, as she had saved his ass from the walkers. Had she done nothing, he would surely have had to drop the buck and then no one back at the prison would be getting some venison; and they really needed this, especially since they took in the residents from Woodbury. He had to admit, he was surprised when that first walker had dropped with a bullet neatly lodged in the dead centre of the back of its head and he had seen her across the clearing, rifle up and dropping the walkers like flies with remarkably precise shots. He had this weird feeling that she was apologising for taking some of his deer, but it was the principle of the matter and Daryl was still furious.

He couldn't remember a lot about her, just that she had dark hair up in a messy bun and a powerful body, with her muscles rippling as she had sprinted away, her arms pumping and easily carrying the multiple weapons he had seen as well as the leg she had stolen. She had also handled that rifle with familiarity, which made him think she had probably known how to shoot it before the apocalypse began. When he had heard the gunshot, he somehow knew that it was done to lure the walkers away from him and not because she had run out of bullets for her rifle.

If they hadn't met in the circumstances they had, he probably would have asked her the three questions and brought her back to the prison, as they could use someone as capable and gutsy as she was. Instead, he just wanted to quarter her for the stunt she pulled with  _his_  buck. Grunting, he adjusted the massive animal and silently admitted, though he would never tell anyone, that they didn't lose much by her taking that leg. This buck was the biggest one he'd shot yet and would keep the group fed for a bit.

Finally, he could see the prison fences through the trees and walked a bit faster, eager to be home and get this deer off his shoulders and dressed. Exiting the forest, he made his way to the front gate, which Karen opened for him and made his way up to the courtyard, feeling embarrassed yet secretly pleased at all the attention, smiles and excitement everyone showed at the sight of him with the buck. Grunting, he dropped the buck at the station where he usually skinned and dressed his catches, making quick work of tying the hind legs together and pulling the buck up to drain it into the bucket below. As he was working, he could hear Rick's cowboy boots coming up from behind him.

"Wow, that is a big deer. What happened to it's leg?"

Daryl grunted, his fury spiking again. "Some bitch in the woods cut it off and took it."

"And you let her? That doesn't sound like you man."

"She was a godamn ninja, halfway across the clearing before I coulda even lined up the shot. Dodged my arrow as well."

"Still, ya didn't follow her? Is she gonna be a problem?"

"Naw, don't think so. Think she was just desperate for some food and besides, herd of walkers came, so I had to hightail it outta there. This deer would'na be here if she didn't start shooting them walkers to keep 'em off my ass."

Rick hummed, looking unconvinced and Daryl glanced back at his friend.

"Rick, it's fine. I'll go out tomorrow, see if I can find some tracks or something. I'll keep an eye out for her, but I don't think she meant any harm. Now you wanna hang around and go over it some more, or can I get back to getting this deer ready so we can have some dinner tonight?"

"Alright, well, I'll leave you to it then." Daryl turned back to his deer, but despite his best efforts, he couldn't get his mind off the woman. He wondered if she was alone and if she was, how long she had been alone. The thought that she might not have a group had him feeling a bit of respect for her, because he knew it's nearly impossible to survive on your own, without anyone watching your back or rotating watch shifts through the night with you.

The next day, he went back to the clearing, hoping to find some tracks, but though he found some tracks, it was impossible to follow them, as the rest of the herd had trampled over it and destroyed it. The next few weeks and then months, he would keep an eye out for her and occasionally he'd find an abandoned campsite or tracks he figured could belong to a woman, but he never saw a glimpse of her and when the tracks and signs disappear altogether three months later, he gave up searching for her. He told Rick and the Council that she probably moved on and it was only in the privacy of his own mind that he admitted some regret to not finding her.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I decided I am going to post new chapters, even though I'm not finished with the story yet and I'll just have to hope I finish it before I catch up with myself. Warning, this chapter contains some brutality, as will the coming chapters, in fact, it's a recurring theme in this fic, being that it is a Walking Dead fic. Sadly no Team Family in this chapter, but there will be flashes of them on and off in the next few chapters. Please comment and let me know what you thought! Thanks to Smd00 for commenting, I really appreciated it, as well as the kudos:)
> 
> Also, my work isn't beta'd, so I apologize for any mistakes.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy!

_Anamika gasped and wiped the sweat from her forehead as she stumbled along. Her side was aching where the guard had gotten a lucky shot in and her vision was blotchy. Yet she clung to the machete in her one hand and the massive duffel bag in the other as if it was a lifeline, which it very well could be. She was wearing a simple white shift and as she raised the machete to kill another of these dead… things… she idly thought that she really should get more appropriate clothing. For this moment, the shift would do, as her first priority was to escape the place that had become her prison. Chaos was everywhere, people running around, some wearing coats, some wearing military gear, some who looked like civilians and then more of those dead ones. It did, however, provide good cover for her and she was able to get out unharassed by the living. Running down the street, she glanced back at the odd concrete building with the massive glass window in the front and the sloped three-tiered roof. The military was everywhere, but no one took any mind of her._

_As she ran down an alley, she saw a dead soldier and raising her machete, she made sure he stayed dead. Dropping down next to the body, she quickly stripped him of what she just knew to be a bulletproof vest, an AK-47, several pouches of ammo and a grenade. Stuffing it all into her bag, she clipped the vest on and continued down the alley._

_Her breath was coming out harshly and her side ached like a bolt of lightning down her body, but she needed to get as far away as possible. She just needed somewhere safe, where she could rest, recover and hopefully find some better clothes._

Crouching in the bushes, she scoped out the building before her. When she had first seen the signs leading to a place called Terminus, she had been heavily sceptical. Only idiots invited the entire world to their doorstep in the apocalypse; either that, or people who were leading others into a trap. She knew the name Terminus could be taken at the literal definition, which just meant the place at the end of a railroad or such, but for her it felt as if it was alluding to the end of her journey, and not in a good and hopeful way.

Yet she felt that she had to check it out. If it was legit, it could be a place where she could rest a bit before moving on. She knew she wouldn't do good around other people, she had too little trust and civility to make it work long-term, but she needed to rest her body. More than a year on her own had worn her down and her body was exhausted, as it wasn't often she found a place she felt safe enough to truly sleep and not just take a power nap. If it wasn't legit, well, then it was her duty to make sure other good people, honest survivors didn't walk into the trap.

So it came to be that she was crouched in the brush, eying the place though her rifle and watching the seemingly normal people go about their daily tasks. She was far enough away that she was certain their patrols and scouts haven't spotted her yet, even the secret one that she was sure she wasn't supposed to spot. So far nothing seemed out of place, but her spidey senses was tingling and letting her know there was definitely more to this community than it appeared. Coming to a decision, she quietly backed away, making her way to her campsite about a mile or so away.

Grabbing her hiking backpack and duffel bag full of weapons, she climbed a thick tree she had scoped out before, climbing as high as she dared and tied her backpack and duffel bag to the trunk, making sure no one will be able to see it from below. She stowed away all her weapons, only leaving herself with a hunting knife and near empty pistol she had scavenged a week before. She did keep two of her throwing knives in her boot pockets and the small knife in her bra, as well as two lockpicks pushed into her messy bun. She had stumbled upon a doomsday prepper's hideout about a month previously and killed the owner, as he had come at her with a hatchet without any warning and she had just reacted. She was actually glad about that, as she had felt no guilt about stripping his hideout afterwards from anything she could use.

She had found loads of useful stuff, like MRE's, canned food, weapons, ammo, clothes and several miscellaneous items like the lockpicks she now stuffed in her bun. She had also found a big military truck, that she had no idea where the guy had got it from and loaded all her loot into it. The truck was now hidden in a thicket of trees and covered in shrubbery to avoid it being found. Hiking up the normal backpack with a few cans of food she could spare, a change of clothes and some random items, she made her way to the railroad and then followed it to Terminus.

It wasn't long before the community loomed up before her and she prepared herself mentally for the role she had to play. Walking through the gate, she followed the signs and came to a courtyard, where an elder red-haired lady stood and grilled something. Immediately, her stomach rolled even though it smelled as if it was regular pork, but something in her just recoiled at the thought of that meat. A memory niggled her mind, but as much as she wanted to pursue it, she pushed it away, as she had to concentrate now.

"H-hello?" The lady smiled at her nervous greeting, her face and body language welcoming, but her eyes seemed off.

"Hello, I'm Mary. Welcome to Terminus."

"T-thanks, I'm Anna. Were… were the signs true? Is this place safe?" Anamika chewed her bottom lip, forcing herself to fidget and shift her body nervously. She didn't want to appear too confident and get these people's guards up.

"Yes, this place is safe and a sanctuary for all. You look like you've had a rough time of it. Let me make you a plate."

The way the woman said 'sanctuary' had Anamika's guard up immediately and her stomach turned at the sight of Mary dishing her some of the meat. So she said the only thing she could to try and reject the offer while still seeming polite.

"Oh, sorry, I'm vegetarian. I know it seems silly in the apocalypse, but I can't stand the thought of meat, I become physically sick." Mary froze and for a second her eyes became ice cold and her entire demeanor screamed 'dangerous'. It was all Anamika could do to stop her body's natural reaction of responding in the same way.

"Oh… I see. How unfortunate. Come, I'll take you to meet my son, Gareth. He runs this place." She followed meekly behind the portly woman and subtly looked around, analysing escape routes and number of people with weapons. She was finally led to an open area behind the main building, where a young man was speaking to another woman and gesturing towards train carts.

"Gareth! This is Anna, she arrived just now. She's vegetarian." Anamika looked at Mary in confusion, what did her supposedly being vegetarian have to do with her introduction?

"I see. Welcome Anna, it's great to meet you. It is unfortunate that you won't be able to fit in here." Before she could react, three different guns were trained on her and she could see the people on patrol also aiming at her. Slowly, she put her hands up and forced her lip to start trembling as she widened her eyes. She hated being right.

"Wha-what's going on? What did I do? Why-"

"Shut up. Jane, search her." The woman Gareth had been talking to came closer and she grabbed her backpack from her back, throwing it behind her. She then took the hunting knife and pistol and finally frisked her. To Anamika's great frustration, Jane checked inside her boots and found her two throwing knives and that made her even more glad she had kept the rest of her set back at her camp, as she was quite attached to those knives, they were very handy. Luckily, it seemed that having found the hidden knives, she didn't search further and so missed the knife in her bra, as well as the lockpicks in her hair.

"Hmmm, seems the little bird had some secrets. Anything else you're hiding?" Anamika looked at Gareth and knew that no matter what, they weren't going to let her go, so she straightened her shoulders and shifted her stance, dropping the scared girl act. Instead she stood confidently and almost lazily, looking bored with this entire fiasco.

"Just the fact that you are going to regret this. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but I will make you regret it." Gareth seemed amused at her threat, but she didn't care. He was underestimating her and it would be his downfall.

"She's got spirit this one. Well, Anna, I don't think I will. But I will enjoy eating you. Take her to C for tomorrow." Anamika fought to keep her face neutral as what Gareth said sunk in.

_Eat her_

These people were cannibals, if what Gareth said is to be taken in the literal sense and she had a feeling it is. No wonder her stomach recoiled from eating the meat and they immediately captured her when they heard she's supposedly vegetarian. She wondered if they gave other survivors the option to become one of them or if they all become food. She was marched to two red containers stacked on top of each other and her stomach sank as she realised no lockpicks will help her get out of there, as it wasn't a lock that could be picked. The container was opened and she was shoved inside, before it slammed shut behind her, leaving her in darkness with only a small sliver of light reaching the inside from beneath the container doors..

She sighed, running a hand over her face and into her hair. She needed a new plan to get out of here and she had the night to think of one, if their words could be believed. A scuff in the back of the container had her turning sharply and she could just make out a figure huddled in the corner, muttering to themselves. Immediately she was on her guard, making sure there was no one else there but the one person.

"Hello?" The figure didn't reply, but their muttering increased and she walked a bit closer, trying to make out what they were saying.

"...-same, we're the same, the same, the same, we're all the same, the dead and us, them and us, we're all the same." A sudden high pitched giggle erupted from the clearly crazy man's mouth and Anamika sighed, knowing she would have to keep an eye on him. Standing near the door, her mind started flipping through various plans and scenarios, before she finally settled on one. Before she could carry it out, however, she needed to confirm something.

"Hello, my name is Anna. I'm going to escape from here tonight, do you want to come with me? Hello, do you understand me?" She walked closer to the dirty man, his hair and beard wild and his face smudged with mud and sweat. Slowly, she reached a hand out and just as she touched his shoulder, he spun around, grabbing her shoulders and screaming in her face.

" _We're the same! We're all the same!"_

Shocked, she pushed him away from her, watching as he fell back against the container and huddled into himself again, continuing his furious muttering, now faster than before. She sighed, knowing he was too far gone and that she shouldn't feel guilty in how she planned on using him then. It was already close to dark by her calculation and time for her plan to come into motion. Taking the small knife out of her bra, she stalked towards the man and before he could react, she slit his throat, holding him tightly as he struggled while bleeding out. Her face was set in stone as his struggles and twitches died down and she felt horrible killing an innocent man, but it was her or him and she still had her mind. If he was sane, she would have tried something else, but this was the plan with the best chance of success.

Lying him down, she pulled off his shirt and ripped it into strips, securely tying his hands behind his back and his feet together. Then she wrapped a longer piece around his eyes and threaded it down to his hands, tilting his head back as she tied the ends. Now she just had to wait for him to turn. She sat back and sighed, her heart heavy with guilt, but her plan clear in her mind.

It was a few hours later when she heard groaning and saw the man starting to twitch. Rubbing her hand over her face, she stood up and walked over, rolling him onto his back and pinning him in place with her boot. His hands were now trapped under his body and his head couldn't tilt forward far enough to bite her. He growled and struggled as he tried to get to her, but she ignored it and pulled out her small knife, stabbing him just above the groin and pulling the knife up, cutting his belly open. Plunging her hands into his stomach, she started smearing his infected blood all over her, draping intestines over her shoulders and covering every inch of her in thick sludge, her skin and clothes painted a dark red, almost black. Finally, she smeared it over her face, making her look like a macabre warrior with war paint.

Then, she flipped the dead man over, so that his face is turned towards the door. Standing, she walked to the door quietly, ignoring the growling from behind her and started banging on the container, calling for help like a banshee. As she had seen the patrols passing close to these containers every half an hour before she entered Terminus, she knew the next person would soon pass by and hear her. She screamed about the dead and help and when she heard voices coming closer, she cut herself off mid scream and stepped back from the door.

"What the fuck? What is going on in there?" She ignored the barked command from outside and made her way next to the dead man. She could clearly hear the undead growling at all the commotion and she knew the people outside would also be able to hear it in the silence now.

"Hey, what the fuck is going on in there? Son of a bitch, go call Gareth, I think they turned in there, that sounds like a rotter." She grabbed the piece of rope that tied the man's hands and waited in anticipation. The seconds ticked by and she felt it was the longest four minutes of her life. Finally, she could hear footsteps coming back.

"What is going on around here?"

"Gareth, I think something happened with the two in here. Just listen." There was silence, during which Anamika walked around the dead man and shook him, making him growl fiercely and struggle against its binds and she could hear Gareth cursing.

"Get the smoke bomb ready." Gareth had muttered it lowly, but Anamika could clearly hear him and she moved back to behind the undead, tying a leftover piece of shirt from the dead guy around her face. It wouldn't stop the smoke for long, but it would be long enough to get her out of the container. When she heard them begin to turn and lift the locks on the container, she quickly untied the walker and stepped back from it to the very back of the container. Luckily, with all the noise they were making and the rotten blood covering her, the dead man completely ignored her and was instead clawing at the door. The next moment, the door swung open as the smoke bomb was tossed in, but lucky for her, the undead was so excited at the prospect of a meal, that he pushed hard against the door, causing the guy who tossed the smoke bomb to become sloppy and it landed in the entrance of the container. It immediately went off, causing panic as the men outside couldn't see properly with the smoke billowing outward and the dead attacked the man in front.

As soon as she heard his screams, she rushed forward, her body low and fast. She grabbed the edge of the container door without slowing down and used it to almost swing her body around. Keeping her fingertips on the container, she used it as her guide to get out of the smoke and around the container. She could vaguely see the fence in the distance and made a straight shot towards it, her small pocket knife out and ready to use. Her arms pumped as she ran and she was almost there, when a body tackled her from behind. Instead of letting the unknown person take her down flat on the ground, she tucked her body in and rolled them over her shoulder, coming out on top of them, pinning their arms with her legs. She made sure to place all her weight on the person, pinning them completely even though they were heavier than she is.

A grin stretched across her face as she recognized Gareth and though she could have killed him, something dark in her awoke and she decided not to do it immediately. Oh no, she was going to do something far worse. Besides, with him injured but alive, Terminus will have something else to focus on besides her escape.

"I told you you would regret it and now you will. Be assured, though this will be painful, I'm going to enjoy it very much." For the first time, she swore she could see a flicker of fear in Gareth's eyes, but he quickly covered it up with a cocky smile.

"You can't do anything to me that I haven't overcome before." She let loose a feral grin and leaned down, close enough to intimidate him without giving him the chance to bite her.

"We'll see."

She knew she had to be fast, as the cannibals will soon come to investigate and when he started screaming, even more so. So she brought down her knife to his face and started to painstakingly carve the word 'cannibal' into his forehead, ignoring the screams that game from his lips and the blood gushing over his face. When she was done, she carved a massive capital A into his cheek, to always remind him of her. She could hear people coming now and she looked down at the man who was screaming and crying at the same time. She had made deep cuts and she knew they were gonna need stitches and scar ugly, exactly how she wanted. Hearing the yells come closer and knowing she had to go, she looked at Gareth and gave him one last sweet smile.

"You want to put up this veneer of being a friendly guy? Well, let's see you smile." With that, she plunged her knife into his cheek from the side, ripping it up towards his mouth and repeating it from just below the 'A' on the other side.

"There you go pretty boy. Now you can always smile." With that, she left the snivelling man and ran to the fence, scaling it in a second and disappearing into the woods. Glancing up at the stars, she used it to navigate back to her camp as fast as possible. She knew that everyone at Terminus would be preoccupied with Gareth at the moment, but come morning, they will probably send out a search party for her. The wounds she inflicted on Gareth were nasty and will never heal properly, but it won't keep him down for long, maybe a week at most, if they had good medication, enough to give her a head start.

Reaching her camp after 15 minutes of flat out sprinting, she quickly scaled the tree, grabbing her stuff and climbing back down. Running to her truck, she jumped in and without turning the lights on, she pulled out to the dirt road that lead to the main road, driving down it like a bat out of hell. She couldn't leave the area yet, but she did want to gain some distance from them. She would leave soon enough, but first, she had a mission to complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys, what did you think? I know Anamika was kinda brutal in this chapter and you're going to see more of it in coming chapters, but I truly believe that as a woman travelling alone for a year and more reasons later discovered, her brutality is to be expected. Anyway, let me know what you thought, I always love hearing from you guys:)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so trigger-warning about attempted rape in this chapter, for anyone who can't read something like that. Also, we catch up briefly with Team Family, but I didn't write them in-depth, as the only times we read about them is when it has some relation to Anamika, as I don't want to rehash canon and I'm not really changing any of it until Anamika meets up with them. So it's short and sweet, but you are getting a Daryl AND Rick PoV:) Thanks for the kudos! I'm sorry it took so long to update, I was away for the weekend and had a hectic week so far, I'll usually try and update every 3 or 4 days.
> 
> Enjoy and let me know what you think!

The next week, she travelled all along the different railroad tracks, ripping down Terminus signs or writing 'Cannibals' on the ones she couldn't get down easily. Terminus sent people after her, but they weren't a lot and no match for her. She killed more than ten cannibals that week alone. The problem is that they sent amateurs, who walked loudly through the forest and warned her from a mile away. Most of the time she could just snipe them, but on the last week, she had enough and finally killed four of the five that came, bringing her cannibal kill count up to 14 and capturing the last one. Knocking him out viciously and tying him up, she ripped his shirt open and started carving a message for Gareth.

_Come yourself or sacrifice more men_

_Your choice_

_A_

She knew this was a way to get the message to all the cannibals that she was not to be messed with and hopefully planted some doubt in Gareth's leadership for all the sheep following him. She had waited until the guy woke up, as he had passed out from the pain of her message when he had woken up while she was doing it and then she sent him on his way, warning him against doing anything else but going back to Terminus. The following week she waited for more guys to come while she demolished more signs and vandalised others. She knew she wouldn't be able to get all of them and she also knew they replaced the signs, but hopefully they miss one. She had taken to taking some of the signs and placing them elsewhere, with her warning on them. She hoped it would help some poor survivor against falling into the trap.

It was as she was busy taking one of the signs down that she felt a barrel pressed against the back of her head and deep voice told her to lift her hands. She was actually impressed that someone got the drop on her, but then again, she had been too focused on the sign and lost in her memories of the past week to properly pay attention.

"Whooo hooo, check that body! Claimed! I'm gonna have me some pussy tonight! Now sweetheart, take a slow step back and turn around for me. Hands in the air, don't be trying no funny business now."

She clenched her jaw, furious with herself for being an idiot and not being as vigilant as she usually was. Turning around slowly, she saw four guys surrounding her, all dirty and the typical redneck types. However, unlike the redneck from a few months ago, these men gave off a menacing aura and she could smell their stink a mile away. In fact, she was surprised that hadn't warned her of their approach. She couldn't believe she had blanked out like that. She had those moments, where her mind just seemed to go into a white zone, blanking out the world and causing her to become lost in her own mind. She knew it was due to the place she had escaped at the beginning of the apocalypse, but usually it didn't happen very often, so she had been ignoring it.

"Hmmm mmm, baby, you gonna taste so sweet, I just know it. I think I'm gonna have myself a taste right now."

"Come on Jack, hurry up, Joe is expecting us to be back in half an hour."

"Shut up Billy, I claimed her and I say I wanna have a go right now. Been a long week since that old hag we had and she was so loose by the time I had a go I could hear her cunt flap. I'm gonna make sure I get her now, while she's nice and tight."

Bile rose in her throat as the guy started unbuttoning his jeans, but she couldn't do anything, as the other two still had their guns trained on her. Her body was practically itching to show these sick scumbags who they were messing with, but she had to be smart about this. She glared at the guy, waiting for him to come closer and to step between her and the guns aimed at her.

As soon as she did, she dropped down and kicked out with her leg, dropping the man with a kick to the kneecap and spinning around towards the other man closest to her, ripping the gun from his hand, she shot him in the head and rolled away, narrowly dodging a bullet from one of the other guys. Before she could complete her roll, a harsh kick was delivered to her side and she coughed as she was tackled by the guy she had kicked in the knee. He recovered faster than she thought and she was once again reluctantly impressed.

"Stupid cunt! I'm going to tear you apart so bad you will never be able to use your pussy again!" She struggled against his broad, stocky arms pinning her to the ground, her breaths coming out in short gasps as she felt pain flare from her ribs where she had been kicked. Throwing her elbow up, Jack grunted as she smashed into his nose, but he remained solid on her.

"Billy, come grab this bitch's arms!" The guy who shot at her came forwards, grabbing her wrists and pinning them to the ground next to her head. She was bucking wildly now, feeling them unzipping her jeans and panic started to flood her mind.

_Not like this. She wasn't going to die like this and she certainly wasn't going to have these pigs rape her!_

She could feel Jack grounding himself against her, his dick jutting into her hip as his slimy fingers slid into her panties. Her mind went blank and a calm settled over her as a white haze filled her vision.

_Not today_

Rearing her head to the side, bit down hard on Billy's wrist, biting deep and pulling, tearing his flesh as she did so. She knew immediately she severed one of his main arteries by the amount of blood pouring over her face. The shock of her actions was enough for Billy to let her go as he screamed in agony and Jack actually paused in shock, his weight loosening on her as he stared wide-eyed at the man bleeding out in front of him. Anamika saw movement over Jack's shoulder and realised it was the fourth guy, aiming his gun at her and without hesitation, she flung her hands up and grabbed Jack's collar, pulling him in front of her in time for the bullets aimed at her to lodge in his lower back.

Ignoring his cries, she pushed him aside as the fourth guy fumbled to reload his pistol, as he'd emptied his entire clip in Jack's back. Raising her knees up to her face, she performed a kick up jump, landing on her feet and rushing at the last man with barely any pause in-between. Just as he brought his gun up, she dropped down to a slide, grateful that it was a dirt road and not a gravel road, as she slid feet first through his legs. Lifting her hand, she delivered a hard punch straight to his groin, causing him to moan and drop his gun as he sank to the ground. Jumping up behind him, she grabbed his head in her arms and snapped his neck, dropping his body to the floor. She picked up her machete from where she had to drop it when they got the jump on her, walking towards Jack who was whimpering as he tried to drag himself away.

She stepped on his back, reaching down to flip him around, ignoring his pleas for mercy and staring down at him coldly.

"Let's see how loose you are, shall we?" Without waiting for an answer, she plunged her machete into his groin, ignoring the echoing screeches of anguish that she knew would draw every walker for the machete to the side, she sliced his penis off and, without flinching in the slightest, she picked it up and stuffed it into his screaming mouth. Ignoring the choking noises coming from the dying man, she ripped his shirt open and carved an 'A' into his chest, a way of showing, just like with Gareth, that these assholes that tried to break her, couldn't and never would be able to. She'd already left her mark on them. Hearing a groan, she saw that Billy had turned and was slowly getting up, so with one last look at Jack's crying and whimpering form, she stepped away and picked up her bag, heading for the woods. She ignored the fresh screams behind her when the now dead guy started eating his once companion.

WD

"Where'd you get the watch?!" Daryl's entire body was tense as his eyes flitted between the people of Terminus standing in the courtyard, ready to take action. Rick was holding the Alex guy who had greeted them when they came in the back, demanding the know where their people were. Daryl felt fury fill him as he aimed his crossbow at these people, who had items that were last seen with his people. People he had searched for an care about.

"What about the riot gear, the poncho?" Daryl tuned back in when he heard an unfamiliar voice speaking from behind him, answering Rick's question.

"Got the riot gear off a dead cop. Found the poncho on a clothesline." Turning slightly, Daryl resisted his immediate reaction at the sight that met him. He could not afford to freeze and get distracted now. And the man that stood in front of them was definitely horrifying enough to cause that. Once upon a time, he could have been handsome. Yet something happened somewhere down the line and now he was like a twisted version of the man he once was. Twin scars arched up from the corners of his mouth towards his ears, giving him a permanent smile and the letter 'A' was roughly carved into his left cheek with deep slashes. A bandanna was wrapped around his forehead, giving him a gruesome appearance altogether.

"Gareth we can wait."

"Shut up Alex."

The man seemed wholly unconcerned with this entire situation, seeming almost bored of it all.

"You, talk to me." Rick stated, his face stern and his eyes intense.

"What's there left to say? You don't trust us anymore." Daryl tuned them out again, his eyes roving the people in front of him, knowing Rick had the people behind him.

"You didn't answer the question." With Rick's yell and the first gunshot which hit Alex, all hell broke loose.

Despite their best efforts, it wasn't long after that they were cornered and forced to enter a container. The only good thing that came from it was that they found the rest of their family. They all reunited and though Daryl felt immense guilt at the sight of Maggie, knowing he couldn't keep her little sister safe, he did tell her what happened and that Beth was still alive. After being introduced to the new people who had travelled with Glenn and Maggie, Rick started making a makeshift weapon and everyone else followed his lead, making plans to escape. It wasn't long before footsteps sounded outside and Daryl, who had been keeping watch, saw a few guys approaching. Everyone got into place, ignoring the shouted orders from outside, ready for action as soon as that door slid open.

However, it seemed as if their captors were expecting their actions and once again Daryl was dragged off somewhere after being disorientated by the flashbang smoke grenade. Seeing those other men hit over the head with a bat and then having their throats slit, their blood draining into the trough and creeping past his eyes was a sight Daryl will never forget. It was seared into his eyes, into his mind and would stay for him for a long time. He had never felt more weak, more like an animal trussed up for the slaughter.

"Hey guys, what were your shot counts?" Daryl didn't bother listening to the rest of the conversation after the prick walked into the room, his mind whirling with hatred for this ugly son of a bitch and filled with fear he didn't want to admit to. He listened to Bob pleading with the bastard, to Gareth asking Rick about their bag of weapons and Rick listing what was in it. If he could just lean over and rip this guy's throat out like Rick did to Joe, he'd do it in a heartbeat with no hesitation.

"-and a machete with a red, red handle. That's what I'm gonna to use to kill you." Gareth stared at Rick, before his face twitched up into a horrific smile.

"Scarier people than you have tried," he responded, almost unconsciously tracing the A on his cheek. A shadow crossed his eyes. Then it was gone and he was standing up, gagging Rick again and giving the guys behind them orders to wrap it up within 2 hours. Just as Daryl thought this is it, this is the end of the line for him and his family, a giant explosion ripped through the compound.

WD

Rick stared down at Gareth, kneeling in front of him in the dark church, his hand cradled on his legs. His mind was a calm swirl, the tension slowly building up as he looked at the scum in front of him. Gareth's forehead was uncovered for the first time since Rick met him and he could see the word 'cannibal' slashed across it, the scars angry and red, telling him it happened in the last month or so. It made him feel a sick sense of satisfaction to see that someone had gotten the best of Gareth, had exposed who he really was to the world and made his outside appearance reflect his inside.

"No point in begging right? I mean, it didn't matter with her, she slashed my face up anyway. Anna. Can't imagine it would be much different with you. You people are all the same." Rick wondered about this Anna who had mutilated Gareth and briefly wished he could have met her, could have shaken her hand. The A on Gareth's cheek reminded him of a story the Claimers had briefly mentioned that night on the road, a story Daryl had later told him in full, of someone who killed four of their men, one in an especially brutal way and carved a massive A on their torso.

He couldn't be certain, but he had the feeling it could be the same Anna, using the carved A as a calling card. He didn't know whether to be impressed or disgusted, but considering the type of people the A appeared on, he was leaning towards impressed. Add to that was the fact that Carol had told them that on their way to Terminus, they had found one of the signs vandalised, the words 'no sanctuary' and 'cannibals' painted on it in blood, along with the same type of A that was on Gareth's cheek, and that had caused them to act more cautiously and know what they were up against. He was starting to lean even more towards impressed and thankful when considering that.

Tilting his head, he banished those thoughts and focused on the kneeling man in front of him. He had a promise to keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done! So Rick and Daryl kinda know of her, though they haven't connected her to the woman who stole some of Daryl's deer. Some more of Anamika's brutality, hope it didn't freak anyone out too much. Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter, it might inspire me to update sooner! (blatant bribery right there;)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, here is the next chapter, that I hope you enjoy! It's the start to a can of worms being opened that will set the stage to this story and Anamika's fate. Besides, you find out a little bit more about why Anamika is such a loner and I'd love to hear what you guys think about it. Thank you for all the kudos and Leerna and Rubber_Souls for commenting:)
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika drove silently, the quiet hum of her truck soothing her mind. It had been almost two months since she escaped Terminus and she had decided to give up on Georgia and instead head to Washington DC about a week ago. So here she was, taking backroads and off the beaten path routes to reach the city, scavenging towns and cars along the way. She camped out at night, sleeping on the roof of the truck, as the dead couldn't see her up there and it was very warm out. At nights she lay there, looking at the sky and wondering if she would live through this apocalypse. She knew she could survive it, she had the specific skill set to do it, but to live she really needed to enjoy life, to embrace it and to revel in it. At this moment, she was just watching as each day disappeared behind her, never pausing, never hesitating, never wondering what it would be like to have some company.

She knew there were still some good people, just the other day she had met this man in a red poncho who had been incredibly kind and had taught her ways to keep the insects away and more about edible plants than she had known before. Though he had been kind and welcoming, she had felt on edge around him, her mind screaming at her that he was vulnerable, that he was prey and she could snap his neck in a second. She knew she couldn't stay around him, as when she had her white-outs and her mind swallowed her consciousness, she usually ended up killing people who her mind saw as weaker than her, instinctively knowing their vulnerability would be a danger to her if she got attached to them. She abbored her mind and body's reaction, but she seemed helpless to stop it.

She had learned the hard way, when she had tried to join this couple near the beginning of the apocalypse. They had been kind and generous, but entirely ignorant in the ways of survival. She had liked them however, and took to teaching them how to survive, how to hunt and kill the dead. Yet they were still like bumbling foals compared to her and one day, their camp was attacked by the dead.

She had killed as many as she could, slicing through their rotten bodies like butter, her body a blur of motion and her face set in a snarl. Finally, she stopped to see that she was standing in the middle of a bloody massacre, almost twenty dead bodies scattered around her. The couple had stood off to the side, not even trying to come to her aid, their terrified eyes trained on her as the man had held his wife. She had felt shame flood her, at the animal she must appear to be and had hung her head, silently gathering her supplies and telling them they had to leave the area.

That night when they had made camp, she was dozing against a tree when a branch cracked nearby. Immediately her eyes had flown open, her hand grabbing her machete, before her mind processed what she saw before her. The man was standing in front of her, a pistol aimed straight between her eyes, while his wife stood behind him, wringing her hands anxiously. She could see the fear in their eyes, the wild look an animal gets when cornered by a hunter. She instantly understood what was happening, that they regarded her as a monster and was so afraid of her snapping and killing them like she did those dead ones, that they decided she needed to go. Instead of just leaving in the night, they had decided they needed to kill her.

Those were the early days, when she was still figuring out who she was and where she belonged in the world, when she was still coming to terms that she was not the same as other people, that she was something more, something unusual. As she looked into the man's frightened eyes, her heart calmed and her mind became quiet. Her hand unclenched from her machete and her body uncoiled. She accepted their decision on what to do with her, for they were normal people and surely knew what was acceptable in this world and clearly she wasn't. She closed her eyes, waiting for death to claim her and breathed out shakily.

The gun cocked.

To this day, she wasn't quite sure what happened after that. It was all a blur in her memory, painted in red and echoing screams. What she did remember with horrifying clarity, was when she came to, when her mind was released from that deep pool of whiteness and she found herself standing over the slaughtered bodies of the couple. The man was missing a hand, which she saw lying off to the side, still clutching the gun and there was a stab wound in his chest. The woman was lying a small ways off, her hand on the gun that was tucked into her jeans, but her neck slit open before she could pull it out. Anamika was covered in their still warm blood, her chest heaving and her muscles shaky. It was at that moment she realised, truly understood how big of a monster she was, a person who would kill innocents because she couldn't do the right thing and just go quietly. It was also at that moment that she decided, if her own mind and body wouldn't allow anything less than her survival, then she would become the scariest monster out there, the type that people avoided and so didn't fall victim to her uncontrollable killing sprees.

Since then she had been on her own and though it was tempting to join a group, to be around some company, her own fear and conviction kept her away. She wasn't meant for civilization and she did better on her own. And so her solitary journey continued.

The next morning, she opened the back of her truck, making sure to disable her trap first and counted her supplies. The haul she had gotten from the doomsday prepper's hideout was starting to run low and she had to find more supplies to stock up. Sure, she still had about a month's worth of supplies, but she wanted more, as one never knows what might happen or where one could be stuck. She was getting close to the capitol city and wanted some insurance before she arrived.

As such, when she saw the signs for a distribution centre, she decided to check it out, even though it may be looted already. After a further ten minutes of driving, she pulled into the suspiciously empty town, the street quiet as she parked her truck in a dark alley. Climbing out, she made sure the back was locked properly, her traps in place for anyone who tried to rob her, and then she opened the hood, making sure to take out the spark plugs and hoping it would be enough to dissuade anyone from bothering with her truck, if they even saw it hidden in the back of the alley.

Taking her usual gear of the rifle, pistol, machete, kukri and bowie knife, she made sure her hidden knives were secure and then set off, running down the street while keeping her body low. Soon she came upon the parking lot at the back of the distribution centre and saw, once again, no walker wandering around. The entire situation had her hair standing on end and she considered just leaving and trying out a different place. However, the idea of supplies lured her closer and so she sneaked across the parking lot, keeping her eyes open for anything odd. Making it to the back door, she found it locked and she slipped her lockpicks out, crouching in front of the door. Jiggling the lockpicks and twisting, she smiled when she heard the click of the lock turning. Pausing to listen if she could her anything, she swung the door open, keeping her body behind the door so that if anything was there, she'd have the door between them.

Luckily, nothing emerged from the darkness and on silent feet, she creeped in, keeping her pistol up and ready, silencer attached to prevent unwanted attention. Creeping through the small room, she cautiously entered the next one, continuing this trend until she reached the main room, the ceiling high and the massive area filled with shelves that contained boxes upon boxes of goods.

_Jackpot!_

She swung her big hiking backpack around and walked over to the canned goods section. She saw some of it was already taken, neat spaces open starting from the end of the shelves closest to the door, but ignored the oddity and started stuffing cans in her backpack. She had enough clothes and such, so she really just needed food and some hygienic items. When she was satisfied with the amount of food she had gathered, she searched the boxes until she found some basic necessities, like tampons, shampoo, soap, razors, toothpaste, a few extra toothbrushes and so forth. She also made sure to grab some more underwear and socks, as that was the two items of clothing she was quickly running out of, not having a thorough way of cleaning them besides rinsing them in a river.

She was just on her way to check if there was anything else of interest when the sound of a heavy duty truck outside caught her attention and she immediately ducked behind the shelves, cursing as she made her way to the back of the room as quickly as possible. The sound of loud voices laughing and fooling around reached her ears and she cursed even more when she heard a padlock click open and the big screen door at the front lifted up. No wonder there was no walkers and some of the stuff was already taken, someone was using this place as storage!

"Hey man, what did Simon say we needed to get?"

"He said to get some clothes for the wives, as well as more makeup and soap. We're also running low on pasta, so might as well grab a few packets and some sauce. The rest of the stuff we'll get from the Kingdom and Hilltop."

"Alrighty. Come on man, let's get it done quickly, there's going to be a punishment back home tonight, according to Simon. Some stupid prick who thought he could cheat the points system is gonna get burned."

Peeking out from behind the shelf she was crouched behind, she saw two guys strolling in the front door, with four more guys outside by the truck. Shit, she really needed to get out of here, these guys were carrying heavy duty semi-automatics. Turning, she sneaked around the back and tried to make her way to the exit she came in from, but a moment of glancing over her shoulder to make sure they hadn't noticed her yet, proved to be her one mistake.

Her foot hit a box that was placed on the floor, the dull thud echoing through the room and causing the men to immediately lift their guns and look around. Her head and shoulders dropped as she felt like screaming at the world. She just couldn't get a break!

"What the fuck was that? There some dead pricks at the back there?"

"How the fuck can there be one back there Larry, we cleared the entire place and locked it up you stupid fuck!"

Anamika crept around the shelf as the men came her way, she knew she wouldn't get away now without killing them, as they didn't sound friendly, considering their conversation from before. Looking around frantically, she didn't see anywhere to hide, so did the next best thing. Grabbing some metal cutlery knives from a box nearby, she started to scale the metal shelves, silently grateful that they seemed sturdy enough to hold her weight. Her heart was thudding in her throat as she climbed to the top and lied down, her breath shallow as she tried to find her calm. She'd been in a lot of shitty situations and had to fight her way out of even more, but she could just never get used to this. This feeling of do or die and reckless actions to stay alive was something she was familiar with and to a certain extent comfortable with, but it wasn't normal.

Seeing the men almost rounding the corner, she chucked one of the knives to the far side of the aisle, hoping the men will be so focused on the noise that they won't pay close attention to what was going on above them. The metallic clatter of the knife on the ground immediately made the men walk faster, their attention on the end of the aisle, just as Anamika had hoped. She waited till the first guy passed beneath her and knew she would have to be as fast and as quiet as she could be to pull this off. She reached into her boot, pulling out two of her throwing knives and palming them, one in each hand. As the other guy started to pass beneath her, she inhaled deeply, her heart thudding erratically. She couldn't believe she was even considering this, she was a bloody idiot! The man reached the point directly beneath her and her body tensed.

It was now or never.

Coiling her muscles, she let them loose as she jumped off the shelf, her feet hitting the guy on his back as her right hand gripped his hair and her left used the throwing knife to stab him in the head. His body dropped so quickly her feet didn't even have time to start sliding down his back and she used her momentum to ride his body to the ground, ending with him on his front and her crouching on his back. The other guy was just starting to turn around, a startled yelp on his lips when her right hand shot out and released the other throwing knife, watching in satisfaction as it plunged into the side of the man's head. His body thudded to the ground and as relieved as she was that she had been able to pull it off, she knew there were still four more guys outside and they would soon be coming to investigate the thuds of the men's bodies hitting the ground.

Jumping up, she collected both her knives, keeping them in her hands and started sprinting for the back door. Maybe she could make it out before the other guys came in. Sweat was beading on her forehead as she ran, her heart racing from the adrenalin, and she put on a new burst of speed when she saw the door she had come in by. She was almost there, only a few feet away, when a shot rang out and a searing pain registered in her leg. She screamed as she crashed to the floor, sliding painfully on the concrete as her hands automatically clutched at her upper thigh. Blood was seeping from the bullet wound and soon her hands was coated in red. For one second, she was afraid that a major artery had been severed, but she soon realised the bleeding would have been a lot worse if it had. Unfortunately, she couldn't feel an exit wound, which meant the bullet was still lodged inside her leg.

Before she could think what to do further, a woman was standing over her, her gun pointing at Anamika. The woman's curly dark hair was bleached at the ends and tied back in a messy bun on the top of her head. Her dark eyes glared at Anamika and her gun was trained steady and confidently on her.

"Hey Arat, you got 'er?"

"Yeah. Bitch was trying to escape out back." Another man joined the woman now identified as Arat and Anamika gritted her teeth, snarling a the two.

"Oooh, got ourselves a little fighter on our hands. Negan is gonna like 'er!" Arat rolled her eyes and scoffed, but she didn't say anything against the man. The man stepped forward and grabbed the machete that was lying next to her, before he took all her other weapons as well, including, to her chagrin, all her hidden knives she had squirreled away across her body. The man seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to hiding spots and her eyes burned a hole in him as he placed her weapons in the big pockets on his combat pants. Anamika's mind raced, unsure how she was going to get out of this one, especially now that her leg was busted.

"Hello sugar, what's ya name?" She gritted her teeth, not wanting to give these people anything.

"Oh come now, that ain't polite. I'm Joseph and this is Arat. Now, your turn to introduce yourself." She glared at the cocky asshole in front of her, swearing that she would kill him to herself, but Arat kicking the wound on her leg had her screaming in pain, the tendons in her neck standing out as she clenched her teeth.

"Now, I asked ya a question. And seeing as ya belong to the big man now, ya better answer. He don't like no disobedience."

"I don't belong to anyone," she gritted out, her eyes promising death to these two, but it seemed to just make Joseph's smile bigger. She could see the other two people standing a way behind them, but kept her focus on the immediate threat.

"Oh, now see, that ain't true. Because everything ya have and everything ya are, now belongs to Negan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, thoughts? We found out a bit more about Anamika in this chapter, thought there's still a lot more to come, but this is setting the stage, so to speak. Please review, because I really want to post the next chapter to see your reactions, but I feel like a softy to do it without any feedback hahahaha:D


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, next chapter is out! It's a bit earlier than I usually post it (I think) but I'm going to be busy this weekend, so thought I'd do it now. I'm not going to spoil anything about this chapter, I just hope you guys like the direction I'm moving in. Thanks for all the kudos, as well as to Leerna for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

"Who the fuck is Negan?!" She spat out, her eyes narrowed as she watched the smug man standing in front of her.

"Sugar, Negan is ya new god. He says to jump, ya ask how fucking high and how many times. Now, a pretty liddol thing like ya can't be out here on yar own, where's yar group? I think we need to pay them a visit! A friendly greeting from the Saviors!"

"I don't have or need a group, I can kill you fuckers all on my own!" She spat out, her eyes spitting fire as she imagined all the ways she could kill them. The problem was the two guys in the back. They were too far away for her to kill quickly if she killed the two in front of her and with those semi-automatics, she would be riddled with bullets before she could even take one step forward. Joseph regarded her silently as Arat glared, her fingers tightening around her gun as her body tensed. Obviously, they recognized something inside of her.

"Ya know what, I actually believe that. So, I'll amend my question. Where are yar supplies? A scary girl like ya would have a bunch stashed somewhere I think. Where is it?"

"I don't have any supplies dumbfuck, that's why I was here!" Her head snapped to the side as his fist connected to her cheek and she grunted in pain, spitting out some blood.

"Wrong answer. Where is yar supplies?"

"I don't have an-" Another fist connected to her other cheek, hard enough to knock her to the ground where she lay gasping, trying to shake the ringing from her head.

"Come on sugar, I can do this all day. Where. Is. Your. Supplies?"

"Go to hell!" She spat, her eyes defiant as she pushed her body up from the floor. She didn't see the next blow coming, as she had been watching the man and so was not prepared for Arat to kick her in the side, right where her ribs had been fractured previously. She screamed, tears involuntarily springing up in her eyes as she cradled her ribs that had been so close to being completely healed after being jumped by the claimer assholes. Blow after blow rained down on her and she tried to curl her body up, protecting her ribs from further damage. Fractured ribs were bad enough, broken ribs was an outright pain in the ass to deal with. Finally, the blows stopped and her entire body shuddered with pain. She could feel her mind wanting to retreat, to enter the whiteness, but she knew in this situation, she would die if she went into a rage. Her mind heaved and fought against her body's involuntary reaction and she managed to focus on the man crouching in front of her again, the white spots disappearing from her vision.

_Not today_

"Now, are ya going to be a good liddol girl and show us where yar supplies are?" She nodded slightly, her halted movements screaming out the pain she was in and her body flinched as the man clapped her shoulder, smiling broadly.

"There ya go, all ya needed was some proper motivation! Atta girl. Luke, come help this young lady up, she graciously agreed to share 'er bounty with us!" Anamika grunted as a young stocky man came forward and hefted her up, slinging her arm none too gently around his shoulders as he about dragged her forward. She let her head loll forwards, making sure she stumbled along and placed a lot of weight on the guy. It made her seem worse off than she was and would hopefully help to have them underestimate how capable she is. Her eyes flinched when the bright light outside hit them and her headache started to worsen.

"Now, where are ya supplies liddol girl?" She grit her teeth, promising herself he would go slow when she killed him, and she nodded her head slightly to the right.

"It's a truck, parked in that alley o'er there…" She slurred slightly, swaying her body as if she was losing strength. The group of five, including her, set of towards her truck, the man whistling when the army vehicle came into sight.

"Well damn sugar, ya got a nice ride 'ere!" They walked around the back and Arat frowned when she saw the thick padlock on the doors.

"Where's the key?" Anamika swallowed, unwilling to give up her key but knew she had to for her plan to work.

"Pocket… inside my shirt at the collar." Joseph stepped forward with a leer and instead of just turning her collar over, he slid his hands under her shirt from the bottom, trailing along her skin and copping a squeeze of her breasts as he brushed past them. She gritted her teeth as her eyes burned holes into him and the ways she was thinking of killing him just became more brutal.

"Now now sugar tits, just need to get ta key." Keeping her body heavy so that Luke had to support most of her weight, she watched as Joseph handed the key off to the unnamed fourth guy, his eyes never leaving hers as he leered at her. Anamika tensed as the fourth guy approached her truck, sliding the keys into the lock and unlocking it, pulling the chain from between the handles. She wanted to smile as she saw Arat focused on the guy who was about to open the doors, as that would give her a chance in the next moment, but refrained, as Joseph was still watching her.

The guy grabbed both handles and flung the doors open, and in the next second, an axe that had been attached to the roof by the tip of its handle and wired to the doors was embedded in his head, as the force of him opening the door pulled the axe forward and into him. In that same instant, Anamika uncoiled her body that she had kept ready and spun around the man holding her on her good leg, ripping the lockpicks from her bun in the same motion and plunging them into the sides of his head through his ear canals. Arat was just starting to turn, her gun coming up when she threw the now dead Luke at Joseph and tackled Arat to the floor, ignoring the agonising pain in her body, specifically in her leg and ribs. She punched Arat twice in the face, hard and fast and watched in satisfaction as the woman lost consciousness.

Knowing she couldn't spare a moment, she whirled around, Arat's gun in her hand and fired towards Joseph just as she heard another shot. A bullet ripped into her shoulder, but she was satisfied to see that her bullet had also met his mark and Joseph lied on the ground, groaning from the wound in his chest. Gasping out as tears pricked her eyes, she ground her teeth together and forced her body to stand up, limping over to Joseph. She glared down at the man, her chest heaving as she struggled to breath, but vengeance thick on her mind. His eyes met hers and she could see him gearing up to fight her, so her foot lashed out and kicked the side of his head, ignoring the resulting pain. Again and again she kicked him, his face becoming steadily bloodier until finally he was just a mangled lump of flesh moaning in agony. However, she didn't stop until his head caved in and even then she continued on until his head was a smear on the floor.

She crouched down over his body, grabbing her knife from his pocket as she ripped his shirt open and started carving, her eyes glowing with an unholy light as her face was set in a snarl. Three jagged slashes later, a large A was carved on his torso and her body was covered in fresh blood. A whimper had her looking up in time to see Arat's horrified eyes staring at her and before she could react, the woman was up and sprinting away from her. She leapt up in pursuit, but in her rage had forgotten about her injured leg and so crashed to the ground with a feral scream as pain ripped through her body as she put her full weight on her injured leg and then continued to fall on her injured ribs and shoulder. By the time she had gotten up and out of the alley, Arat was tearing down the street in the saviors' truck and Anamika decided against pursuing her.

She sunk to the ground, her body shaking at the events of the last few minutes. She wanted so badly to break down, but knew she couldn't. It wasn't safe here. Pulling herself up painfully, she collected her weapons from Joseph's body, along with the weapons they had on them, and loaded them into the back. This simple task took her almost half an hour since she kept having to stop and rest, her breath coming in shallow pants as her body screamed at her. Closing the doors, she stumbled to the front, placing the spark plug back in the engine, and painfully dragging her body into the driver's seat. She slowly drove to the distribution centre, driving in as far as she could and parking the truck. Climbing out, she steeled herself and took several deep breaths, trying to convince herself she could hold on for a bit longer. Opening her eyes, she limped over to where she had dropped her backpack, grabbing it along with the weapons of the other two men she killed. She placed it in the back of the truck and started loading as much food, necessities and cans of gas into the back of her truck as she could fit, which was a fair amount. Finally, she went searching for medical supplies and though there weren't heavy duty stuff, she did find basic first aid kits and over the counter medicine. She grabbed rolls and rolls of medical tape and bandages and all the medicine she could find.

Her truck was about full after a painful two hours of dragging her body back and forth and she loaded the last of the supplies she could fit in, having about cleared the small centre of its food and medical supplies at the very least. Every available space was filled in her truck and she abhorred wasting good supplies, but the one thing she abhorred more was the thought of more of these saviors coming and using the supplies in here to survive another day. So grabbing a firestarter she found in one of the boxes with a camping stove and supplies, that was now packed away in her truck, she went up to the clothes section and started lighting all the boxes and clothes on fire. She walked along as she repeated this every few feet, until the fire was raging out of control as it consumed the objects in the centre.

With the flames roaring at her back, she walked back to her truck, a can of spray paint in her hand. Climbing in the driver's seat, she drove out of the centre and when she got a few yards from the door, she stopped and got out. Walking towards the building, she opened the spraycan, shaking it before carefully spraying as she walked. Finally, she stepped back and admired the scene in front of her, the distribution centre going up in flames and a large red A spray painted on the parking lot ground in front of the building. She smiled as she got back in her truck and drove away, not planning on stopping anytime soon as she wanted some distance between her and the burning building.

Some might call her a vindictive and petty bitch, but frankly, she didn't care anymore.

WD

The day after she sat holed up in a house twenty miles from where she had encountered the saviors, and though she had wanted to get farther away, she had been unable to ignore the pain in her body and the dizziness behind her eyes. A piece of cloth was clenched between her teeth as she grunted and sweated on the bathroom floor of the house she currently occupied. Her hand was holding a medical tweezer from the first aid kit and digging into the flesh of her thigh as she attempted to dig the bullet still lodged inside out. The tendons in her neck strained and her leg cramped as she fought to keep it still. Her breathing came out too fast, she knew, but she was determined to get this bullet out before it caused even more problems, like sepsis. Feeling the tweezer hit something solid, she clenched her eyes shut as she gripped it, making sure it wouldn't slip, and then slowly pulled it out. A guttural scream ripped from her as the bullet left her thigh and her body went slack when it was finally out, her chest heaving as her eyes stung with the sweat pouring into them.

After a second of breathing deeply, she sat up and readied her mind a second time, as she also had the bullet in her shoulder to deal with. She immediately knew this one was going to be worse, as she could feel it lodged snugly against her collarbone. Luckily, it was quite shallow, but the bullet scraping against her bone was worse than the deeper bullet in the flesh of her thigh and it was much anguished screaming later that she threw the second bullet on the floor. Her body slumped over, exhausted from the pain and hardship she had placed it under in the last 24 hours. Not for the first time, she wondered if this was all worth it. Maybe she should just put herself out of her misery. She had nothing she was living for, no people that might miss her and her entire existence seemed to be made entirely out of agonising pain.

After a few seconds of wallowing in her dark thoughts, her body straightened and she shook her head, casting those thoughts away.

_Not today_

Placing the tweezers on the bathroom counter, she got the needle and thread and started to stitch herself up. She had two nast cuts on her face from the beating she took, so she stitched those up after dealing with the gunshot wounds. Finally, she grabbed some of the large bandages and medical tape and started to tightly wrap her torso, gritting her teeth in pain. However, after they were wrapped she sighed in relief, her ribs feeling slightly better now that they were tightly bound. Packing everything back into their containers, she made her way to the bedroom where her backpack was, stowing the first aid kit away and gingerly lying down in the bed, knowing that she had secured the house and was so safe for the day. She breathed out deeply, her body relaxing into covers as she flung her arm over her eyes. Her body was throbbing, her head was aching and her eyes were burning. She could feel her bottom lip start trembling and it wasn't long before she couldn't hold the sobs in anymore.

That was the first night she completely broke down and cried until her body felt like a dried up husk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you guys think? I hope with this chapter, it showed that even though she is badass and more capable than most, she is still human and can be severely outmatched if the odds are against her and even injured. It also shows her having a bit more emotion than just badass survivor who kills everyone with no worries. At least, I hope so. Fear not, her story with the saviors is only just beginning and will be explored further in the next few chapters *grins* Please comment and let me know what you thought!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, here I am, with a new chapter! Now, there's a mild (or very bad, depending on your constitution) torture scene in this chapter, warning for anyone who is freaked out by that, but I mean, you have to kinda expect it at this point. Also, this chapter is an intro for the next, so the really exciting stuff only happens then. Thanks for the kudos and to Rubber_Souls and Leerna for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

It was a week after her run in with the saviors and she had been dodging the fuckers ever since. Unlike with the cannibals from Terminus, these people were smart, trained and rarely came out looking for her in small groups. She usually had to hide from them, as she was still very much injured, but if she could take out one of them without revealing herself or placing herself in danger, she didn't hesitate.

That usually meant she sniped them from afar, always making sure she had an exit route. In the week that had passed, she had killed a further 4 of them and avoided groups larger than five, as she was just not up to a fight at the moment. Yet she knew that sooner or later her luck was going to run out and she'll end up dead. She had to do something and fast. But first, she needed more information.

So she rigged up a snare, a simple enough trap that would snatch the foot of its unsuspecting victim and haul them into the air upside down, high enough that their hands wouldn't be able to reach the ground, but she'd still be able to reach them and talk to them. She covered it in leaves and vines, making sure the branch she used was sturdy enough to hold the weight of a small man and that the braided nylon rope she used was double layered and hid against the tree with a vine wrapped around it, further disguising it. She had found a nice niche in one of the trees, where the branches formed a sort of natural cradle and then she had chopped some of the branches away to make a gap for her to peer through, so she would have a line of sight to her trap a few yards away. She made sure she left no tracks to the trap, as she was certain the saviors wouldn't fall for the same trap twice and she wasn't going to risk her life taking on a big group.

So three days passed while she silently kept an eye out for the saviors. She avoided some of them, as they either had too much firepower or were too many, but on the fourth day, she struck gold. It was three saviors, carrying rifles and pistols, one woman and two men. The woman was following what seemed like tracks while the men stalked silently behind her. It was obvious they were out here hunting instead of searching for her, but she could easily recognize them as saviors because of their clothes, weapons and most importantly, their demeanor. So far, all the saviors had the same air around them, the attitude of being the biggest baddest bitches in town. That usually changed after they encountered her.

She knew there was a small chance that they weren't saviors, that they were just innocent survivors and didn't deserve what she had in store for them, but she was  _reasonably_  sure they were saviors and that was enough in her mind to go ahead with her plan. Usually, she was more cautious and would want to make sure beyond  _any_  reasonable doubt that they were the people she was waiting for, but she was injured, irritated and so done with these people that it made her more reckless and brutal than she usually was. These people had injured her worse than anyone before since the apocalypse began and they were more relentless and dangerously organised than any other groups she had met since this entire thing began. This made them dangerous.

Nodding her head, she ran ahead slightly, making sure to keep her movements quiet and limited so as to not aggravate her injuries. Based on the direction the saviors were heading in, the tracks they were following would end up somewhere along here, unless the animal got spooked by something. Luckily for Anamika, she soon found the tracks and then, making sure to leave obvious tracks of her own, she followed the animal tracks for a bit, before sharply turning towards the direction her trap was in, as if she had just noticed the saviors and were trying to get away silently. She jogged a bit, coming until right in front of her trap, stepping over it easily and continuing the tracks behind it. Hopefully, one of the saviors following her would set the trap off and she would have her hostage, if she acted fast enough.

Coming up to her tree, she gritted her teeth as she climbed it, her body aching, before settling into her spot and bringing her rifle around. She aimed it at the trap, watching the spot through her scope. Her body was tense as she waited, hoping the tracker would see her footsteps and follow them. This had been the best opportunity for her to get some information so far and she didn't want to let it go by. After a further ten minutes, her ears twitches at the sound of a scuffle and a twig snapping, and a frightening grin covered her face as the three saviors came into view, the woman in the lead as her eyes followed Anamika's footsteps.

_She got them_

The female savior was so focused on the tracks, trusting the idiots at her back to watch out for danger around them that she never even saw the signs of the snare, just as Anamika had planned and hoped for. She knew amateur hunters usually got a one track mind, focusing completely on the tracks of the animal in case they missed something and so couldn't see anything else. She had thought the woman was new at this, as she had brought out those two lumbering oafs as back up and her movements weren't the movements of a skilled hunter. If Anamika had been dealing with a person with more experience, she never would have managed to hide the trap from their notice.

A crack echoed through the woods as the woman stepped on the trap, the nylon rope springing free and hauling her up into the air by her foot, causing her to drop her gun in shock. Ignoring her startled shout, Anamika gunned the two men down, her shots quick and precise in the centre of their foreheads. Their bodies crumpled to the ground and the captured woman yelled even louder as her struggles increased. Quickly, Anamika slid down the tree, turning to walk towards the woman. One of the dead was heading towards the woman as well and as the savior tried to get her knife, she fumbled with it and it fell to the ground.

Before she could start to create more of a commotion, Anamika lifted her pistol and fired off three shots, one at the dead guy in front of the savior and the other two at two dead further away. The woman tried to swing her body around, trying to see who was there and Anamika swore she saw her face pale when she caught sight of Anamika. Of course, she was sure to know of her, as Arat had obviously alerted everyone about her and given her description.

Anamika could see the fear in the savior's eyes, but she ignored it as she checked to make sure her hostage had no further weapons on her. She killed another of the dead that came towards her, before turning to the upside down woman. Tilting her head, she silently observed her prisoner, her eyes intent as she made the woman sweat for a bit. Finally, she started.

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're that crazy bitch that killed Joseph and his crew. Arat told us all about you." The woman tried to sound confident and menacing, but Anamika grinned ferally as she detected a quiver in her voice, further unnerving the savior. This savior wasn't as tough as she pretended to be.

"Very good. Now, I've got some questions and you're going to answer them truthfully for me."

"Fuck you bitch!" Without blinking, Anamika lifted her pistol and fired a shot into the woman's leg that wasn't caught in the rope. Crying out in pain, the woman tried to clutch at her leg but couldn't get her body to reach, so she just hung limply while she breathed harshly, trying to ignore the tears in her eyes. Anamika watched her impassively. She didn't like torturing people, but when she did, she usually didn't bother starting slow, as she found that the shock of her being willing to start with something like a gunshot wound usually prompted them into talking in order to avoid something worse.

"First question. Who is Negan and what does he look like?"

"Fuck… you…cunt..." Anamika fired off another shot, this time blowing four fingers of the woman's right hand clean off. A piercing scream echoed through the woods as the woman cried, cradling her hand as snot and tears covered her face.

"Who is Negan and what does he look like?" The savior continued crying, her eyes trained on her mangled hand and seeming unaware of the world around her. Anamika lifted her gun again, but that seemed to snap the woman out of her shock.

"W-wait! I'll talk, I-I'll talk, just don't h-hurt me anymore! P-P-Please!" Lowering the gun, she glared right at the woman's dark eyes, her own unflinching.

"Last chance. Who is Negan and what does he look like?"

"He-he's the leader of the Saviors and the Sanctuary, our base. He's also in charge of several communities, like Hilltop and the K-Kingdom. He-he wears a l-leather jacket and red scarf m-m-most of the time and he h-has a b-b-baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire named L-L-Lucille. Please, don't hurt me any-anymore!"

The woman was crying, but Anamika paid her no mind, her thoughts whirling. She didn't want to chance attacking their home base, as she was sure there would be far too many people for her to take on alone. But she had to convince this Negan guy to leave her alone and somehow she didn't think talking it out was gonna cut it. From the way these people searched for her and with how confident they all were, Negan had to be a pretty scary guy in order to maintain this level of order.

Scary and  _smart_.

A noise behind her had her turning, seeing three more of the dead coming and she cursed, stalking over with her machete to cut them down, her blade singing through the air as she cleaved into the first one's head. However, she had swung too hard and the machete became stuck. Instead of struggling with it, she let go of it and grabbed her knife, grabbing the collar of the next undead and plunged the knife in its forehead. By this time, the third one was upon her and she pushed the one in her hands towards the third one, causing it to fall to the ground. Placing her foot on the truly dead one's back, she leaned over and buried her knife in the third one's eye, barely breaking a sweat.

A scream from behind had her whipping around.

A dead woman had come from behind her hostage, the sounds of her approach hidden by the sounds of Anamika fighting with the other three. The undead was now ripping into the woman's throat, tearing her jugular out as the savior screamed, before even her scream got cut off in a gurgle. Anamika screamed in frustration as she threw her bowie knife, nailing the dead fuck in the head, but the damage was already done. Stomping over, she pulled her knife from where it was lodged in the dead woman's head and stabbed her now dead hostage in the head. Growling in anger, she delivered two hard kicks to the dead one's head, angry that she had lost her hostage before she managed to get more information about their base and leader from her.

She stalked over to the tree the woman hung from, carving an A in the trunk, before she sighed, her shoulders slumping and her body trembling. She didn't want to go through this again, another chance like this will probably never come again and she didn't want to torture someone again, as it wasn't as if she enjoyed doing it. She rubbed her forehead, uncaring of the blood she smeared across her face and finally walked over to retrieve her machete. Bracing her foot against the dead one's head, she pulled her machete free, wiping the blood off before sliding it into its sheath. A crackling static noise from behind her had her whirling about, her heart pounding as she imagined a savior she somehow missed shooting her in the back or something.

But nothing was there.

She looked around in confusion, unsure of what she had heard, when the noise came again and she realised it originated from one of the men she had killed. She could hear what sounded like muffled noises and she realised it had to be a radio. Hope filled her like a bubbling fountain and she rushed forward, rolling the one guy on his back and searching through his jacket. Finding the chunky radio, she could now hear the voice that spoke through it.

"...at Triangle. I repeat, for any of you assholes too busy licking your ass, Negan is coming to the outpost at Triangle. There is to be a tribunal, fucking Sam messed up again. Tighten security in preparation for tomorrow, but I don't think any fucker is stupid enough to go against Negan. Over and out." The radio went quiet, but that didn't matter to Anamika. She felt lightheaded with giddiness, which she was sure was the completely wrong reaction, but damn it! She had it! She knew where Negan was going to be tomorrow night and hell if she wasn't going to use that information! Jumping up, she sprinted back to her camp, leaving devastation behind.

She didn't have long to find out exactly where Triangle was, which she hoped was a real place and not some shitty codename or something, so she needed to check the map she kept in the front of her truck. Arriving at her camp, a big naturally-formed cave that had ivy and branches hanging over the entrance and so hidden from prying eyes, she squeezed between the rock walls and the side of her truck, just managing to get the door open. Grabbing her map, she folded it open and turned on the overhead light, her eyes automatically finding her current location and then searching for a place called Triangle. It wasn't long before she found it, about a twenty minute drive from where she was, meaning about a five and a half hour walk. She didn't want to take her truck, as she didn't want anything to happen to it and her supplies, it was well hidden here. Luckily, she had built up some muscle since the apocalypse happened and hiking for five hours was nothing to her now.

She wanted to leave now, so she had time to scope out the place and come up with a plan accordingly. Placing the map in her backpack, she climbed out of the truck, walking around to the back and rummaging through her weapons that were neatly packed away in a big, long crate. She grabbed an AK-47, along with a satchel of extra ammo and a few grenades, flashbangs, smoke bombs and two small canisters of gas. She grabbed the gas mask she had found at the prepper's hideout and strapped on her bulletproof vest and fingerless gloves. Finally, she shrugged on her leather jacket, zipping it up before she slipped on a shoulder harness she hadn't worn often. Placing various knives and weaponry all over her person, she finally closed and locked the back, making her way out of the cave and making sure you couldn't see it easily from the outside, as well as to erase any tracks she might have made.

Then she started hiking back to where she had left the dead saviors. Gathering their weapons in one of the bags they had carried with them, she paused. They had quite possibly come here with a car, which she could use to get closer to the base faster. Grinning at her new plan, she followed their clumsy tracks back to the edge of the forest, where, lo and behold, an beaten car was parked.

Quickly hotwiring the car, she threw her stuff in the back and pulled away, driving in the direction of Triangle. Just before she reached a place called Midway Island, she parked the car off the road, determined the hike the last hour or so, in order to make sure no one saw her coming. She had been lucky enough to get this close undetected as it was.

It was dark by the time she reached Triangle and she knew she had to be careful when searching for their outpost. She crept through the town, trying to avoid the dead while searching for any signs of the living. It was only when she saw headlights in the distance that she had an idea of where to look and she quickly ran in that direction, keeping quiet and low.

Coming closer, she saw it was a massive house, a dirty sign proclaiming United Mine Workers of America, though it was vandalised and broken by now. Making her way to a house about three blocks from the outpost, she walked to an upstairs room and settled herself at the window, able to see all the way to the outpost with her rifle's scope, as there wasn't a lot between her and the outpost except distance and parking lots.

Though it was dark, she could see the activity going on and the people patrolling the perimeter of the parking lot around the outpost. She settled in to wait, observing their routine and counting all the different men and women she saw, hoping to get a rough estimate of how many there are. She knew her best bet when she attacked would be when Negan was holding this 'tribunal', as it seemed as if he was gathering most of the people in one place, then it's just the men on watch she had to deal with before setting her ambush. She wanted to cause as much damage as possible, as she had to make sure Negan knew not to mess with her.

Some part of her was screaming that this was crazy, that she was making a mistake attacking a guy like this, but the other part of her mind told her that she didn't even know this guy, that this bad feeling was based off a perception she had of him, created by the way his henchmen talked about him. She didn't have to fear the boogeyman, even if he was a scary smart and crazy man; she could guarantee she was crazier.

She observed them through the night, too tense and alert to even think of sleeping and the next morning she watched as the outpost became a hive of activity, trucks leaving and arriving filled with supplies, people unloading them into the house or into different trucks. It seemed they were getting everything ready for the night, but even amidst all the activity, Anamika saw that there was always at least four people on duty, two snipers on the roof and two men on the ground, one in front and one in the back. They were making circuits, sure to cover the entire perimeter of the house, but she was certain she could get closer without being detected. These men looked bored, as if they weren't expecting anything to happen and that's exactly how she wanted it.

It was in the evening when a convoy of three vans finally arrived and Anamika sat up straighter, instantly bringing the scope to her eye. She watched as the door of the front convoy opened and a man stepped out, looking exactly how the female savior described him. She had to admit, she hadn't thought he would be so handsome and if it wasn't for the slick smile that caused a chill to creep up her back or the way everyone around him instantly kneeled in his presence, she might have even been attracted to him. As it was, she only felt disgust crawl up her body, feeling violated just looking at his smug swagger and the nonchalant swinging of his bat, Lucille.

This was  _Negan_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, who of you now thinks she's absolutely insane? Anyone, hands in the air! One, two, three, four... Yeah, I also thinks she's outta her mind, but I honestly believe this is how she would have reacted. She's not someone who waits, she does and seeing as she has no one to think about than herself, she is also reckless and occasionally very crazy. Things get suuuper fun in the next chapter and *gasp* you even get a Negan PoV, so please be extra nice and leave a comment!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I'm suuuuper nervous about this chapter, more nervous than about almost any other, because if I don't convince you about what's happening in this chapter, it messes up the entire story line; or at least, it won't make as much sense. So please, let me know what you thought after reading it and any complaints, advice or compliments or so you have. Thanks for the kudos, as well as to Leerna for commenting.
> 
> Enjoy!

As the sun went down, Anamika slowly crept closer to the outpost, the activity around the house having ceased as Negan had called everyone in for his big show he had to make of some poor man; not that she really cared, except as an opportunity for her to make use of. She breathed in deeply as she was crouched behind an abandoned car, her heart thudding in her ears and cursing at herself for being crazy enough to try this. She knew that to pull this off, to make Negan feel fear at the thought of her and to stop sending his men after her, she had to unlock some part of her mind she usually kept tightly sealed away in the dark recesses of her memories.

She couldn't be Anamika now, she had to become the monster that she sometimes pretended not to be and she had to be brutal. She had the feeling that nothing less would work on this man. She sneaked forward again, till she was about 100 yards from the house, crouched behind a car. She needed to get closer, since she had to kill the snipers first and then be close by to immediately kill the men on the ground, but the next car was about 50 yards away. She waited for a chance, a moment when the guards turned their backs on her, and that chance came when two dead ones stumbled around the opposite corner of the house. Though the snipers had them, all the guards were focused on the dead for a few moments and Anamika took her chance to sprint across the parking lot to the next car, sliding to a stop and crouching behind it. Ignoring the gravel embedded in her jeans, as it hadn't been torn through, she breathed deeply, calming her heart.

She peeked out and was relieved to see no outcries of alarm or weird behavior from the guards. The night had taken over completely by now, but luckily the moon was full tonight and afforded her enough light to use her scope. Bringing her rifle up, she aimed at the sniper furthest from her, knowing that as soon as she pulled the trigger, she was going to have to be in constant motion. She breathed in, her mind going quiet and the thudding of her heart drowning out her thoughts. She breathed out, her eyes intent on her target even as she made sure she knew the exact position of her next target. She breathed in, her finger curling around the trigger.

_Not today_

She breathed out and pulled the trigger, not even watching the man fall down in a spray of red, immediately moving on to the next sniper, who was just starting to realise something had happened, but he was already dead before he could fully turn around. Adjusting her scope, she saw one of the guards on the ground, oblivious to what happened on the roof, but she didn't want to shoot him before she saw where the other guard is. The chances of him being able to raise the alarm before she got to him was too big if she didn't have him in her sight. She waited, knowing that there would be a moment, a second where the two guards met at the far corner of the house, where she would have them both in sight and she would have to make the two shots within split seconds of each other. She breathed in, the guard walking to the corner of the house. Her heart thudded, her arms steady and her eyes focused. The guard reached he corner and she could see the other guard coming around the corner into her sightline.

She breathed out. Two soft thuds reached her ears as the two men fell to the ground, two perfect bullet wounds between their eyes. Once again she was grateful for the silencer she had, as none of this would have been possible without that. She jumped from behind the car, her eyes roving around as she made sure no one else was around, her rifle up and ready. When she reached the front of the house, she switched her rifle for her silenced handgun, running up to the front door. She had to be quick and thorough, the only reason this attack would work was because they weren't expecting anyone to attack them and they definitely weren't expecting them to have the toys she had.

Easing the door open, she was glad to see no one around and that apparently Negan was still busy with his tribunal. Sneaking through the corridors, she kept her ears open as she checked doors, mostly finding bedrooms and supply closets, but when she reached a door at the end of the corridor and picked the lock after hearing nothing behind it, she realised she had found the armory. A smile crept across her face as she saw the cache of weapons they had. She would make sure to avoid this part of the house, so she could maybe scavenge some of these weapons after. For now she had to make sure no one else could use it. Checking if it had a window, she made sure the window in the room next to the arsenal was open and then she dragged a chair with her into the weapons room.

Looking around, she grabbed a fork from one of the supply closets nearby and entered the room, thankful the door opened to the inside. Looking around to make sure she was still alone, she quickly inserted the fork prongs into the latchole, seeing how deep it went in, then she pressed the prongs of the fork against the floor and used brute force to bend the prongs , so that the part that went into the latchole was horisontal from the rest of the fork. Next she snapped the handle off the fork, glad it was a handle that tapered to a wide end and had grooves from designs along the way.

Inserting the bent prongs into the latchole, she closed the door and then pushed the handle of the fork through the two prongs in the middle, so that the door wouldn't be able to be opened. This wouldn't stop someone if they were really determined, but it would slow them down. She also placed the chair she had dragged in below the handle as double insurance. Climbing out the window, she climbed back into the window at the next room and continued on her way, the entire side mission having taken no longer than two minutes.

It wasn't long before she started hearing voices and came upon a meeting hall, where it seemed the rest of the saviors where gathered. She could hear a deep voice speaking, everyone else silent as the dead and she breathed in deeply, knowing it was now or never. She had to do this and she had to do it right. There would be no time for hesitation once she threw the first bomb. Placing the gas mask over her face, she pulled out two smoke bombs, two flash bangs and made sure the tactical grenades were still clipped to her belt where she could easily reach them.

It was them or her.

_Not today_

Just as she heard someone start screaming behind the door, she pushed it open, having a split second to take in the man having his head bashed in by Negan. Then, it was chaos as she threw all four of the smoke bombs and flash bangs into the room, followed by one regular grenade. She slammed the door shut behind her, running to the end of the hall and crouching down, her AK-47 pointed at the door. In that split second, she had seen one other exit to the right and from where she was crouched at the T-section of the corridors, she was able to see both exits and still have an escape route if things went bad. Screams and yells had erupted from the room and it wasn't long before the doors burst open and saviors streamed out, some with their weapons up even as they coughed and their eyes watered, some stumbling around, their hands on their heads or holding their bodies.

However, they had no time to react before she threw another two smoke bombs towards the different exits and immediately started shooting into the smoke, hearing the screams start anew and the thuds of bodies falling to the ground as a hail of bullets descended on them. Somewhere through the smoke she could hear Negan's deep voice booming out in anger as he cussed up a storm, shouting orders. Before the saviors could regroup, she threw another grenade, ducking behind the wall as it went off with a loud boom, blasting the walls apart, as well as anyone unfortunate enough to stand close by.

Running around the corner, she gunned down more men and women who stumbled from the smoke and wreckage, her feet in constant movement as she continued her massacre. She was lucky they were so disorientated, or this would have been over before it started. Returning gunfire had her dropping to the floor, shooting from a lying position, before she was up and going once again.

She had to get to Negan.

WD

Negan didn't know what the fuckity fucking  _fuck_  was going on! He had been minding his own fucking business, managing his community and fucking up some fucker who fucking thought he could steal his, Negan's, fucking shit, when the entire fucking world erupted into flames. His people were screaming, his head was ringing as if some whore had slipped him some special pills and his body ached where some shrapnel from the  _fucking grenade_  had hit him. He didn't know what fucker was attacking him, but he was sure he was going to make the prick regret picking a fight with him.

"What the  _fuck_  is going on?! Find who did this, FUCK, let's go Simon!" Another two grenades went off outside the room and it was only then that the ringing in his ears cleared enough for him to hear the shitload of gunfire going on outside the room.

"GODDAMN, we're like  _fucking animals_ in the slaughterhouse here! Simon, we're going out the back!"

Negan turned, ignoring his men and women who were dropping like flies outside that room. He knew he couldn't exit using the door, as that would be certain death. Negan ran to the windows, for once glad there was so fucking many of them, and smashed the glass on one that was already partially blown open. Simon went through first, checking for any assailants on the outside, before motioning it was clear. The two saviors at his back had their guns pointed towards the two doors, ready in case someone came inside.

Negan was just about to climb through when he realised it was too goddamn quiet outside the room. He had just enough time to swear and try to jump out, when the metallic sound of something rolling along the floor filled his ears and heat seared at his back, as the grenade went off and blasted him through the window. Luckily for him, his men had been standing between him and the grenade, saving his life but not preventing his jacket from catching fire, nor his ribs from breaking as one of his men's bodies landed on top of him.

He slowly registered a searing pain in his back where the burnt body was covering him and flames licking at his jacket, as well as a piercing pain in his leg, when Simon was there, rolling the body off him. He pushed himself up, seeing a fucking wooden stake from the shrapnel of the blast driven through the flesh of his leg.

"FUCK!  _Fucking_  fuckity fuck FUCK!" He screamed, enraged at this group who had taken out one of his outposts and injured him to this degree. Three saviors came running out of the demolished part of the house, that had once been the meeting hall, their guns up and ready, but this didn't help when gunfire from behind caused the one in the back to drop. Negan turned to see a dark figure walking through the wreckage, seeming unconcerned with the fire that raged all around them. As they stalked closer, shooting more of his men, Negan, for the first time, saw who it was that was attacking them.

They were tall, wearing dark jeans and a dark red leather jacket, with black calf-high combat boots. Their features was obscured with a gas mask, but Negan could immediately make out the womanly curve to her body. She had a belt with grenades clipped to it around her waist, along with various knives and weaponry strapped all across her body. Her hands, clad in fingerless gloves, was holding an AK-47 up and he was almost in awe of the smooth movement she made when she detached the clip and reattached a new one, with no wasted movements and barely a second passing. As his men fired on her, the bullets seemed to magically avoid her, with her moving just enough to make it difficult to hit her; all the while she put down his men with well placed shots, not a single wasted bullet.

_Fuck_

One of his men came running up from behind her and without even turning fully, she glanced over her shoulder and the next moment grabbed the man's jacket and, using his own momentum against him, flung the man over her shoulders onto the ground in front of her and plunger her knife into his head. Standing, she stalked forward and Negan felt the first lick of fear fill him.

_Fuck_

Slowly, she reached up and pulled the gas mask off, throwing it to the side as she stalked closer. Her hair tumbled down her back, curly and flaming red in the glow of the fire and two piercing blue eyes seemed to spear through him. Negan scrambled back and Simon raised his gun, but before he could even pull the trigger, she had her gun up and fired in a movement so fast Negan couldn't follow it. Negan watched, eyes wide as Simon's fingers were blown off, the gun falling to the ground. She never paused in her movements, walking closer, her gun pointed right at him. It was then that he saw the jagged A stitched into the front of her leather jacket and something clicked in his mind.

_FUCK_

This was the fucking one Arat had warned him about, the one he hadn't taken seriously and now she was here to finish him off. He knew she was doing this to show him not to mess with her, to leave her alone and he hated to admit that it was working. She had only ever killed his men when they went after her, so this entire attack must be a demonstration of her skill, a big  _Don't fucking mess with me!_

Negan was never a man to feel fear except one time, but this was an entirely different type of fear. Adrenaline coursed through him, but this time it told him to run. That split second of fear, utter mind-numbing fear and urge to run in the face of a predator was his undoing. He saw the light in her eyes flare with satisfaction, knowing she had seen the fear in his and her eyes took on a glint of demonic light, seeming to burn into him and rip his heart through his throat.

_FuckfuckfuckfuckFUCK!_

She had sensed his momentary weakness and that gave her an advantage. He could see himself in her eyes, he knew how her mind worked and he now realised he had made a grievous mistake in underestimating her. She had destroyed his outpost and killed his men single handedly. She had injured him enough to bring him to the ground and now she was going to kill him. His hand clenched around Lucille, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. Her dark gaze was filled with an unholy light, shadows moving behind them that he saw in the mirror everyday and he knew,  _he fucking knew_ , he was looking at a cold-blooded monster that thrived in killing, at the sight of blood and despair, just as he did.

And that thought frightened him the most of all.

Because how do you defeat yourself?

WD

She stepped from the flames, her hair having come loose and curling wildly down her back. Her prey was in her sight, his guard dog down and she knew,  _she knew_ , she had him now. He could not escape from her. Somewhere, deep in her mind, she knew this wasn't the plan.

But the monster that came forward couldn't care less. It saw prey and prey was meant to be hunted. Especially when her mind identified this as prey that had the potential to become a dangerous predator if not taken care of. For this moment, she had the advantage because she surprised him, but that could change at any moment.

A yell from the side drew her attention and she saw a man come running towards her, carrying a semi-automatic that was the most heavy duty gun she had seen during her assault yet. It was a good thing, as it meant that no one really stood a chance against her with their subpar guns. As he started wildly firing, she dove and rolled away, coming up running. The man was so startled that she ran straight towards him that his amateur shots went all over the place, which she easily avoided. Running up to a piece of concrete lying on the ground, she used it as a stepping stone, launching herself at the man and plunging her knife into his head.

She was crouched over his body when the sound of a car starting had her head snapping around and she saw Simon had gotten Negan into the car, despite his injured hand, and, tires squealing, they raced out of the parking lot, over the curb and onto the street. Jumping up, she fired at them, seeing the men inside the car ducking down and firing out the windshield, but, unfortunately, she hadn't managed to hit Negan.

The haze covering her thoughts urged her to run after the car, to pursue them and to finish this, but the logical part of her brain told her that she had accomplished her goal, she needn't go further tonight.

Her body twitched and jerked, fighting against itself as it tried to go in two different directions. Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply, slowly relaxing her stance, her legs, which had been tensed and ready to run, uncoiling. She dropped her centre of gravity, slouching slightly as the wave of calm washed over her. Her fingers and arms slowly released the tension they held, before her head dropped forward and she exhaled, mentally expelling the white haze from her mind.

Huffing slightly, she watched as the rear lights disappeared into the night, the building behind her burning and littered with the dead. She knew the undead would be showing up soon, so she rolled her shoulders, releasing the last of the tension, before she walked around the building, hotwiring one of the savior's trucks. Backing it up towards the arsenal's window, right against the wall, she climbed through to the back and through the window and started to load up all the weapons. One can never have too many weapons and she didn't want to leave it here for the saviors to use.

She also gathered any food and other supplies she could find in parts of the house that wasn't on fire, though it wasn't long before she had to leave, the groaning of the dead filling her ears and the house burning down around her.

Jumping in the truck, she drove away, leaving chaos and destruction behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so what did you think? I hope it didn't sound unrealistic or too crazy and I hope I managed to keep you guys interested. I have to admit, writing action scenes is not my strong point, (and here I am, writing a walking dead fic, good lordy) so I hope it sounded good. Just to make sure everyone is on the same page, normally one wouldn't be able to overthrow an outpost on your lonesome self, but she just had luck and skill on her side. The fact that they weren't expecting her, that she had crazy good weapons and that they were preoccupied with Negan's demonstration and all in one place was the only reason she managed to pull this off. It's suicide otherwise. Let me know what you thought!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter guys and things are moving along. I'll tell you now, she doesn't meet Team Family in this one, but it's pretty darn close and she does meet another important character who's going to lead to her meeting Team Family;) Thanks for the kudos and to Leerna for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

The following week Anamika kept her guard up, constantly waiting for retaliation from Negan and the Saviors. However, it seemed like her message had worked, since no further people had come looking for her and she was left in peace. Though she had seen saviors here and there, they never seemed to be looking for her and the one time they had caught a glimpse of her, they had tucked tail and ran.

She had repacked her supplies into her truck that was hidden in the cave, only keeping the bare necessities in the truck she took from the saviors. Her truck would be her cache, while the savior's truck, quite a bit smaller and less secure than her own, would be the one she used for day to day stuff.

She was located near what, if the sign was to be believed, was called the Rappahannock River, though the water level was quite low these days as the heat of summer became more intense. She spent her days hunting, scavenging houses in the nearby town and just basically surviving each day.

She kept away from her hidden truck, only checking every now and then to make sure it was untouched, but she didn't want to lead someone there if they were watching her. Besides, she had made sure the area around her truck was rigged with traps and though it wasn't foolproof, it was enough to make her comfortable leaving it.

She fell into a routine, keeping to herself and living as comfortably as she could. Each night, she would lie on the hood of her acquired truck, looking at the sky and wondering, how it  _could_ have been, had she not been a monster. How she could have joined a group and made real connections. Maybe then, she wouldn't have this empty feeling inside her chest, this bleakness that invaded her life. She had a feeling that what she was missing was companionship, but couldn't be sure, as she never really experienced it before. If she wasn't a monster, perhaps she could join a group and live normally, or as normally as she could during the apocalypse.

Life went on, but it wasn't long after her attack on the saviors that another big change came. For the past week, she had felt eyes on the back of her neck, her hairs standing on end. She could never pinpoint where it came from, but she would find signs of people having set up camp or the marks of their passage through the brush, but it was always at least a few hours old. She didn't necessarily feel threatened, as the gaze didn't seem malevolent, but she was cautious of any stranger observing her and so she didn't go near the area she had stashed her truck and supplies, rather living off the land and scavenging new supplies with her stolen truck.

She had just hunted a squirrel and two rabbits and was poking a fire to get them cooked, when a twig snapped off to her left. She jumped up, her pistol held in front of her, when a man stepped from the brush, his hands held up. Immediately, a few things jumped out at her about this man.

He was smiling and she could see the kindness in his eyes, the genuine need to help people.

He was clean, impeccably so, his hair trimmed and his clothes free of the grime that came from living in the apocalypse, which told her he had a camp or community.

He was unarmed, as far as she could see except for one small pistol tucked in the pocket of his jacket, where she could see the outline resting. That alone told her he was an amateur, as getting the gun out of his pocket in a pinch would be difficult.

He was  _prey_ , weak and unused to living in what the world had become. She could see he had seen some horrors of this world, but he had been protected, as far as she could tell.

"Hello, my name is Aaron."

She kept quiet, her gun still pointed at him and she could see him licking his lips, fidgeting a bit at her unwelcoming silence.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I've come to tell you that I have a community, and I want to ask you to come back to audition for membership."

"Audition?" Her voice was rough, as it had been almost two weeks since she last spoke, but she couldn't stay quiet in the face of this man's words.

"I know, it sounds horrible, but that's the most accurate description. Our leader interviews any new members and see if they're a good fit for the community."

"You take the people you find to your community and let them inside for this… audition?" Aaron nodded, a smile starting on his face, before it fell as she scoffed and rolled her eyes, dropping her gun and sitting back down.

"That's the most stupid thing I've ever heard. And tell your partner hiding behind those trees to come out, it makes me nervous when he lurks in the dark. Might mistake him for the dead."

Aaron seemed surprised that she had noticed the other person who came with him, but after a moment of hesitation, he jerked his head towards her, signaling the other person it was ok to come out. Another man, with red hair and even kinder eyes emerged from the trees, his face open and friendly.

"Hi, I'm Eric."

"Anna." She grunted, turning her squirrel on a stick over, before doing the same to the bunnies. She watched as the men cautiously sat down on the ground, looking uncomfortable but hopeful.

"Why did you say it was a stupid thing to do? Don't you think we should have the… auditions?"

"Oh no, the screening process is most definitely needed, what is stupid is that you take them to your community and let them inside before you do it. Anyone could come in and then they know where you are located. Tell me, what do you do if your leader decides the person or persons aren't a good fit for the community?"

Aaron nodded, as if he understood her point and he shifted forward as he answered her.

"Well, Eric and I do some observing before we invite people back to the community, to see if they're the type of people we need at the community." Well, at least she knows for sure it had been these men who watched her the past week, which had her relaxing a bit, as they seemed harmless.

"However, if it happens that we invited someone back and they don't fit in, we… well, we take their weapons and drive them out far and leave them. We-we exile them and we all know that's basically a death sentence in this world."

Anamika stared at Aaron, wide eyed as an unfamiliar feeling bubbled up in her chest. She couldn't believe what he was saying.

They... exiled...people.

They let them know where they live and then they basically just let them go afterwards. The innocence and naivety of that action actually caused the feeling to bubble up stronger and she now realised she was amused. She was completely and utterly amused, like watching a foal try to walk for the first time only to stumble and fall down.

Aaron, misreading her expression, started to reassure her that they rarely exiled people, but his words were halted when a peal of laughter erupted from her mouth. She couldn't help herself, these people were like children and she found it baffling and amusing how they could be like this even after almost two years of the apocalypse.

"You...you exile them? That's suppose to be a death sentence? Are you a fucking idiot?" She gasped out, giggles still bubbling from her lips in short bursts. She could see Eric and Aaron glancing at each other, their expressions uncertain and she felt bad for making them uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she apologised, waving her hand as she wiped her eyes, "It's just, Aaron, you pick these people up from the Outside. It might be a death sentence for anyone living in your community to suddenly be thrown outside with no weapons, but for someone who has been there before, who survived it before you found them? It's easy as fuck. A branch, a rock, a fucking spoon becomes a weapon in this world. Exiling them leaves the chance for them to come back and harm the community, since they now know where it is."

Aaron seemed contemplative, but she knew even if she convinced him here and now of the folly of their actions, she probably wouldn't be able to convince the entire community back home, especially if they're all like these two. She suddenly felt bad for laughing at them, worried that she was being rude and she felt some remorse for being so harsh.

It had been a long time since she had to navigate the delicate waters of social communication instead of just threats and survival tips and her social skills had never been good, not even back at the beginning when she was in a group with that couple.

"Look, I'm sorry, you both seem like good guys who are trying your hardest, but I'm not a people person. I don't do well with people and am more dangerous than you know. So thanks for the offer, but no thanks. Maybe, if there were different rules in place or people who really know what it's like to be out here, I'd consider it, but at this moment, I'm just going to scare normal people."

"Are you sure? I wouldn't feel right to leave you out here on your own. Though I'm sure you're very capable and strong and can more than take care of yourself, you don't have anyone to watch your back and as a woman, the amount of danger doubles, with bad men seeing a target." Anamika nodded, acknowledging his words, but even though she smiled sadly at him, she remained firm in her decision.

"I know, but I've been with a group once, in the very beginning of this and after that, I swore I would never join another again. I've been alone since this all started and I'll stay alone till I die one day. Don't feel bad about it, it's my decision and I've made my peace with it."

Though Aaron and Eric tried to convince her otherwise, she had made up her mind and couldn't be budged. Finally, she agreed to stay in this general area, so they could visit to ease their minds. She didn't really mind making the concession, as this area so far had been abundant in wildlife and deserted from any of the living.

Secretly she thought to herself that this might be a way to ease the emptiness inside her. She wouldn't be living with a group, but she would see a friendly face every now and then. She was sure it would be fine if as long as she kept her distance and didn't see them every single day, even if she was a monster. Though she was good at surviving on her own, she didn't necessarily want to and this would give her a chance to have some company without endangering them.

The next day, after they shared their supplies with her and she shared her rabbits with them, they left, giving her a reluctant goodbye as they walked back to their cars. She really hoped they made it, as they seemed like good people.

Sighing, she slowly made her way to her hidden truck, all the while cursing the monster inside her for forcing this lonely existence on her.

WD

"Aaron, get out here." Anamika didn't even look up as the man stepped out from behind the tree, looking sheepish.

"How did you know it was me?" Anamika glanced up then, pausing in her skinning of the doe she had hunted, before she gave the man she was rapidly getting fond of a heartfelt smile.

"I can always recognise your footsteps. They try to be quiet and they sound gentle, yet confident. It's one of your calling cards." Aaron didn't look as if he understood, but he knew when she was giving him a compliment, so he smiled and walked closer, observing her as she peeled the skin of the doe.

"Nice. you're pretty good at hunting. That boar last week and the doe this week. I have to say, my community is dying to meet this mysterious survivor who refuses to come inside the gates, but provides them with fresh meat. The kids especially loved the bacon we made from the boar meat you gave me."

Anamika smiled softly, glad she could do some good. She felt as if she was atoning for all the horrible things she's done and though she still refused to follow Aaron back to his community, she did give him her kills when he came, enjoying the thought that people out there looked forward to fresh meat that she provided towards them.

She felt it was the least she could do for Aaron, who continued to come visit her every week for the last six weeks, even though she kept disappointing him with her answer. Her ribs was finally healed, with no twinge or ache if she moved too quickly and the bullet wounds had scarred over and was now just ugly reminders of the saviors.

"Well, they're gonna have some venison tonight." Aaron smiled at her chipper tone and laughed as he rummaged through his pack.

"One of the boys, he asked me to get your signature, so he can remember the lady who brought back bacon. The community has hunters, but they're not nearly as good as you and it's been some time since we managed to get a boar."

Anamika stared at the pen and paper uncomprehendingly, once again baffled at the stuff that came out of Aaron's mouth. Sometimes, this man just said the weirdest shit ever. Hesitatingly grabbing the pen, she braced the notebook on her one hand and paused. What should she write? And signature? Finally, though it seemed a bit morbid, she decided to just use her calling card, glad the boy who got it wouldn't know the history behind it.

_Glad you enjoyed the bacon_

_A_

She handed the notebook back to Aaron, who smiled charmingly at her and stuffed it into his backpack. Turning, she went back to skinning and quartering the deer, listening to Aaron's mindless small talk and occasionally responding. She couldn't relate to most of what he was saying, but he never judged her for it and he somehow never made her feel uncomfortable.

He told her about a massive group he had briefly spotted on the way here, though they were using a different road to the one she sometimes used and how he's going back to his community to get Eric and the camper and go to check this group out. As such, he might not be back next week, though he will try.

She felt a flash of concern for him, as confronting a large group of survivors had never ended well for her, but Aaron was a much more likeable person than she was. Nevertheless, she wished him good luck and told him to be careful.

She helped him carry the deer meat back to his car, loading it in the back and warning him, like always, that they needed to smoke what they aren't going to eat immediately, before waving as he drove away. She felt uncertain about letting him near a group of survivors, but acknowledged that she can't do something about it.

She just hoped he'd be fine.

WD

Daryl trudged along with some of his group, Carl showing them to the two houses they'd been told was theirs. His place was so clean, so untouched by the horror in the real world that he instantly felt uncomfortable, like a roach that had crawled into someone's perfect and shiny kitchen. People stared and whispered behind their hands, scattering as he caught their eyes with a glare and throwing wild looks over their shoulders.

They were weak, but Daryl never minded protecting people, he just minded the way these people looked at him. He didn't belong here. The prison, even though it was built to keep people caged in, felt less like a cage than this place did, with its fancy walls and fancy houses.

He didn't fit in here and the people instinctively knew it. He even felt out of odds with his family, as they all settled in and started to become comfortable in their jobs as the days passed. He still cared about them and would kill for them, and he definitely wanted them to have this place. Problem was, he felt like they didn't need him anymore.

This place could offer them more than he ever could.

So a couple of days later, when he saw Nicholas going for Glenn after Glenn punches Aiden, he jumped at the chance to protect his group again, to do something with the pent up energy he was feeling, to somehow deal with the anxiety and frustration of feeling locked up in a fairytale.

He grabbed Nicholas around his body, throwing him to the ground and gripping his coat as he pressed him into the pavement. He ignored Rick's arms around him and his voice in his ear, the anger coursing through his body.

Nobody touches his group, his family and gets away with it. Even as he stepped back, he could feel the adrenaline coursing through him and he paced back and forth, keeping his eyes on the cowardly fuck who was hiding behind Deanna. The elder woman was giving some speech about how they were part of them and equals and he almost wanted to scoff at her naivety.

When she declared Rick and Michonne constables, he really scoffed, disgusted with this comedy routine and feeling as if he was losing his brother. Things like constables wasn't a thing in this world, but apparently Deanna didn't get the memo that there was a  _fucking apocalypse_  happening.

He'd just picked up his crossbow, intending on walking away, when the gate opened again and Aaron drove in. Daryl knew the man had left early this morning but he hadn't paid it much attention. He did, however, notice the way the people seemed to crowd around the car, seeming excited and the way some of the kids were laughing and talking excitedly. Curious, he couldn't help but watch longer.

"Aaron! What did she send this time?" Aaron looked up at Deanna's question, his face smiling as he walked to the back of the car, popping the trunk.

"Well, she said since we enjoyed the previous boar so much, she'd send us another one. And hell, I don't know how she did it, but she also sent us some sheep!" The people gasped and chattered excitedly, everyone looking forward to bacon, pork chops and some mutton.

Daryl frowned, unsure who this she was that Aaron and Deanna was talking about. Obviously, she could hunt, but Daryl didn't remember seeing anyone who looked like a hunter here or even heard anyone talking about one; but then again, he didn't really interact with these people, so he could be wrong. However, it seemed Rick also wanted to know who they were talking about, as he stalked closer.

"She? Who are ya'll talking about?" Aaron looked up, seeming to notice they're there for the first time and he smiled a bit nervously. Deanna didn't seem to notice and turned to answer Rick, ignoring the odd expression on Aaron's face. Daryl, however, did notice and wondered what that was all about. It wasn't long before he understood.

"Oh, it's this woman Aaron met out there on one of his recruiting trips. Her name's Anna and she's stubbornly refusing to come back to the community. Says she doesn't do well with people. However, that never stopped her from providing Aaron with fresh meat for the community the last 7 weeks whenever he goes out there to visit her. I wish he could get her to come back, but she remains firm in her conviction. However, the people here always enjoy her gifts to us."

Alarm bells went off in Daryl's head and apparently the same happened with Rick, as he could see the muscles in Rick's back tensing. He stepped forward, his eyes narrowing a bit.

"Wait, does she know where Alexandria is? Have you ever mentioned anything about it to her? You can't just trust people out there, they  _always_  want something!" He ignored Deanna now, speaking directly to Aaron and to Daryl it seemed as if Aaron had expected this reaction.

"Rick, I promise she doesn't know where Alexandria is and I've never even mentioned the name to her. If she wanted to harm us, she had every opportunity to do it. Hell, I've been trying to get her to come back here for almost two months now. She's my friend and I promise you can trust her. You know, she said exactly the same thing you just said to me the first time I met her, even criticized us for bringing people back to the community. Rick, trust me on this, she's one of the good ones."

Daryl was pacing again, feeling that Aaron was telling the truth, but not trusting this mystery woman to not have duped him. Rick was still, seeming to consider what Aaron was saying, when one of the kids yelled excitedly.

"Hey, she left a note this time! Aaron, can I have it? I wanna put it with my other one!"

"Sure, go ahead."

Rick stepped forward, stopping the kid from running off, saying he just quickly wanted to take a look at the note. Daryl watched as his brother's shoulders tensed and he immediately came forward, along with Michonne, checking to see what had Rick reacting this way.

What he saw on that paper instantly took him back to a time of uncertainty, fear and rage, a time of the Claimers and their stories, or Terminus and Gareth's mutilated face. He could see Rick and Michonne also made the connection by the look in their eyes and the tense lines of their rigid bodies.

Looking down, his eyes traced the almost delicately written words on the paper, standing in direct contrast to the violent signature scratched below it.

_Since I heard you loved the bacon so much, I thought you'd like some more, along with some mutton._

_Enjoy_

_A_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... Next chapter there's some meetings, but Anna's meeting with team family is spread out over two or three chapters. No real action in this chapter, but you caught up to team family and Anamika finally came into contact with Aaron, which means, my gift to you, she meets Daryl in the next chapter. So, please let me know what you thought, especially about Anamika's interaction with Aaron, someone she sees as weak. if you have any questions about her reactions or thoughts, leave me a review and I'll PM you my thoughts or the answer to your question, as long as it doesn't contain a massive spoiler:)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I just realized it's been five days and usually I post sooner (I think), but here is the new chapter! Happy Easter and April Fool's everyone (even though I'm not playing any practical jokes). Thanks for all the kudos and to Leerna for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika skinned the rabbit she'd caught violently, her movements rough and almost ruining the meat, but she was so deep in thought she didn't notice.

Aaron hadn't come this week.

He'd come the previous week, just after he had brought that big group of survivors back to his community and she had given him a boar and sheep she had found. He said he'd come again this week, maybe even bring one of the new group with, who was apparently a lot more like her than the rest of the people in that community, but so far he hadn't shown and it was past the day he usually came.

She had been on edge the entire day, feeling like she was being watched and the amount of walkers that had 'W' carved on their forehead had increased lately. She felt like someone had moved into her neck of the woods recently and she didn't like it one bit. She wasn't getting a good vibe anymore and the woods had changed in the last week or so.

She was starting to think it was time to move on, as she trusted her instincts, but she didn't want to move on without letting Aaron know.

It was a novel and strange experience for her to actually care about what someone thought or to stay in one place in order to stay in touch with a specific person, but Aaron had quickly managed to become a good friend, and now that she had a taste of it, she didn't want to lose that connection. As she had no idea where his community was, she could only wait for him to come to her.

Today, in search of the people that had her on edge the last few days, as she believed it's better to know exactly what you're up against, she had ventured a few miles from her camp, checking out the area and following tracks that seemed fresh. It was a few hours before darkness falls however and she knew she would have to get back to her pilfered truck soon, as she would prefer to not get caught in the dark.

She was walking along, tracking a rabbit through the brush, when she caught the faint sound of the dead groaning. Her ears perked up, it sounded like a lot of them. Was there a herd in the area? If there was, she needed to know how many and what direction they were heading in, as she needed to get the hell outta dodge if they were heading in her way, Aaron or not.

Following the noise, she made sure she kept quiet and unseen, not wanting to lead the herd right to her. Soon, she could see glimpses of the dead through the trees, but there was a fence between her and them.

Just as she was about to sigh in relief and head back, she saw that they also seemed to be chasing some people. Making a split second decision, she exited the woods, but not wanting to show herself to the strangers too soon, she ran into one of the nearby buildings, running up the stairs to the second story windows. Coming up to one of the broken windows, she saw it was two people there and they were almost overrun by the dead.

Something niggled at her mind, so she swung her rifle around and peered through her scope at the second man that somehow felt familiar to her, even though she couldn't see him properly from this distance without the scope. The cold metal pressed against her cheek felt ominous as she focused her sights on the man.

Her heart seized up and got stuck in her throat as she recognized Aaron a second before he got in the car the other guy had already got into, his terrified expression imprinted on her mind.

She had to help him.

She couldn't watch a person she had slowly come to regard as a friend die, she had to save him. But that was a lot of walkers and she didn't have enough ammo on her to take them all out and it would take too long to go fetch some back at her camp.

She had just decided to screw it and go down there, fighting hand to hand with the herd, when someone else caught her attention.

A man with a long stick came running towards the car, wielding his stick comfortably and she was quite impressed with how deadly of a weapon he made it. However, she soon realised that he was going to need some help if he wanted to save her friend and his companion and she felt she'd be more use up here, where she could keep an eye on the situation, than down there on the ground where everything was chaos.

So she inhaled, aimed, exhaled and fired.

The dead coming up on the man dropped down and though he looked around some, he didn't stop making his way towards the car. She continued firing, her mind focused and sharp and soon he reached the car. The next moment Aaron and his companion poured out of the car, all three men now fighting the dead, their movements vicious and desperate, but Anamika didn't let that distract her.

Her main focus was Aaron, as she cared the most about him, but she automatically kept a close eye on the other two men as well and made sure to target any dead that came to close without them noticing or being able to fight them off.

_Inhale, aim, exhale, fire._

Bullet to a dead woman's forehead.

_Inhale, aim, exhale, fire._

Blood sprayed as a dead man fell back from Aaron.

_Inhale, aim, exhale, fire._

Another dead joined the truly dead.

_Inhale. Aim. Exhale. Fire._

_Inhale. Aim. Exhale. Fire._

Her mind was almost falling into that whiteout zone, though she fought it, not sure if she would only shoot the dead if she got lost in her mind. Aaron was outside the gates now, the first to make it out, so she focused on his companion, who was the one farthest back, as it seemed he made sure Aaron got out before him. She decided to clear a path for him, her mind steady as she dropped walkers with neat shots in the middle of their heads.

_Inhale, aim, exhale, fire._

WD

Adrenalin pumped through Daryl as he fought off the walkers, his knife sinking into brain after brain. Some part of him kept tabs of the walkers who dropped unexplainably, a perfect bullet wound in the middle of their heads, but he couldn't devote all of his mind to it, as he was still fighting to stay alive.

He let out a sigh of relief at seeing Aaron outside the fence, but knew he had to get there soon as well so they could close the gate. Suddenly, a walker standing in his path to get to the gate dropped from the familiar bullet wound to its head that reminded him of something, something he had seen back in Georgia.

This happened to the next walker and soon a path opened up for him and he didn't hesitate to take it, swinging the gate shut after he made it out and watching as Aaron chained it as he breathed harshly, trying to get his heart rate down.

"That was...wh...huh… Thank you." Daryl watched as the man cleaned his stick while nodding at Aaron's thank you.

"Uh, I'm Aaron, this is Daryl."

"Morgan." Something was off to Daryl, why would this man help him? He didn't necessarily feel this man was bad, but nobody helps others without some motive these days.

"Why?" He rasped, wanting to know this guy's reason.

"Why? Because all life is precious Daryl." The smile on the man's face showed that he truly believed that, that he wasn't just saying it as an excuse or to trick them, but because he really believed it. He listened as Aaron invited the man back to Alexandria, telling him about the luxuries they had, but the guy's answer had Daryl pausing.

"No thank you." Aaron seemed surprised as well, but he smiled and replied.

"You're the second person who rejected my offer that quickly."

Morgan smiled slightly.

"I'm on my way somewhere. Fact is I'm lost so, if you could tell me where we are…?" Daryl reached out to take the map the man handed over, unfolding it, only to pause as he saw the message written on it.

_Sorry, I was an asshole._

_Come to Washington._

_The new world's gonna need_ _Rick Grimes._

Daryl looked at the man, before looking at the map and the man again. Did this guy know Rick or did he just happen to find the map Abraham left for Rick.

"Ya know Rick?" The man's eyes widened, before he smiled.

"Yes, yes I met him in the beginning after he got out of his coma. He's my friend. In fact, I'm busy searching for him." Daryl nodded, remembering Rick had mentioned a man who had helped him in the beginning. What was the chances of him finding that man here?

"He's back at the community we're from. I was part of his group before Aaron found us, remember him mentioning you. Ya can come back with us, we'll take you to him." The man smiled and nodded and Daryl was about to start walking, before a voice calling out had him pausing, abruptly remembering the hidden shooter that had sniped the walkers.

He couldn't believe he had forgotten about the hidden shooter, they could have shot all three of them if they wanted to, seeing as they had just stood here in the open, almost asking for it. Of course, the fact that the shooter had just saved their bacon against a group of walkers kind of made it hard to believe they would kill them now, but you couldn't take anything for granted these days. Daryl cursed lowly as he gripped his crossbow tighter, ready for anything.

"Aaron!" Aaron spun around and his face lit up in a smile, bigger than Daryl had seen on him before.

"Anna!" Daryl tensed slowly, his hand tightening even further around the grip of his crossbow, his knuckles white. If what he and Rick believed was true, then this was the same woman who killed those Claimers and mutilated Gareth. Though the type of men she killed all had something in common, being that they were the worst type of humanity, it still meant that she was dangerous.

He turned, seeing Aaron hug a woman, though all he could see of her was her dark burgundy hair that was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. The sight triggered some memory in him and he narrowed his eyes as his head lowered, trying to shake the feeling of having seen her before.

Then she pulled away from Aaron and he could see her face and the numerous weapons strapped across her body and the memory hit him like a slap in the face, though it happened more than half a year ago.

"YOU!" He snarled, stalking forward, causing Aaron to whirl around in surprise and confusion, while her rifle instantly came up and was trained dead centre on his forehead. Her eyes were cold as she glared at him, something dark moving behind them, but he wasn't intimidated.

She fucking stole from his deer! He saw the exact moment she realised who he was, as her eyes cleared and her mouth twitched up, though her gun was still trained on him.

"Well well well, who would have thunk? Fancy seeing you here Katniss, you're looking good. Not still a sore loser over that foreleg are you?"

He snarled, pointing at her but not advancing, as he didn't wanna get shot.

"Tha' was my deer!"

"Yeah yeah yeah and I stole some of it. Sorry, I was hungry and didn't think one foreleg was going to make a difference to you, but it sure as hell would to me."

Daryl grunted, feeling the momentary anger leave him, as he had actually long since forgiven her. Hell, he had searched for her for almost three months after.

"Went back ta look for you after. Was always a few steps too late though." She finally lowered the gun, slinging it across her back as she smiled.

"Yeah sorry, I'm not good with people and to be fair, I thought you were still wanting to get me back for that deer, so I avoided you. Finally, I had to move on, as the food was getting scarce." Daryl nodded, remembering how difficult it had been to find supplies.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Aaron, whose head had been pinging back and forth between them like a ping pong ball, finally decided to speak up, pointing at the two of them. It was Anna who answered.

"That would be exaggerating a bit. We met briefly about six or seven months ago. I was tracking a deer, but got distracted by a herd of the dead before I could shoot it. Next thing I know, this guy here shoots it right in the eye. Now, I was hungry though, so I decided he wouldn't miss some of it, as that buck was huge. I cut off a leg before he could stop me and ran, leaving him to take the deer to keep it from the dead."

"Kept the walkers off me too, sniping them as she did now. See you're still as good with that thing as before."

Anna nodded, before a bemused expression came on her face.

"You call the dead walkers?" Daryl nodded and she seemed to think about it, before smiling.

"I like it. Well, anyways, Aaron, I'm glad you're ok, but I need to get going. It's gonna be dark soon and I wanna get back to my camp. I'm leaving the area, as something foul moved in here and it's no longer safe." Daryl perked up at hearing her speaking about the danger in the area and wondering what she knew about it.

"Wait, Anna, please won't you come back with us? I've been trying to convince you for months now and if it's no longer safe here, then please come with us. You don't have to stay if you don't want to, but just give it a chance. Daryl and his people, they're really making a change there. They're like you, told us the same stuff you told me. Besides, this way you can warn them about the danger coming."

"Aaron, you know…"

"I know, I know, you feel you can't be around people and you promised to never again join a group after your first one, but come on Anna! Please, for me, just give it a try." Anna sighed, biting her lip, before she exhaled noisily, her shoulders slumping.

"Fine. But we need to get my truck first, got some supplies there." Aaron nodded and Daryl could clearly see the joy and excitement on his face. He hugged Anna again, even though she twitched uncomfortably, laughing and telling her how Eric would be overjoyed to see her again. They started walking, all four of them, to where she said she was parked, which was about a twenty minute walk. Daryl and Aaron was parked about a two hour walk from there, so they would fetch her truck and then their cars. They soon reached her truck and Daryl looked in the back, seeing a few scattered supplies, but nothing amazing.

"This what ya wanted to come back for?"

"Naw, this is just my run truck. My supply truck is about a fifteen minute drive from here, so after we get your cars, we'll go pick that up."

Daryl nodded and they all piled in the back, with Daryl in the front with her as he directed them back to his bike and Aaron's car. When they reached it, he got on his bike and Aaron and Morgan got in the car and then they all followed her back to her camp.

After a short five minute drive, she turned down a small winding road filled with leaves and almost overtaken by the woods and soon she seemed to park in the middle of nowhere. Daryl was about to question her sanity or suspect a trap when he spied the cleverly hidden cafe, his eyes narrowing.

He saw her smiling as she realised he had seen what she had all those months ago and he scoffed at Aaron's gasp of amazement as she seemingly disappeared into the rock face covered in foliage.

Soon he could hear an engine and a massive military truck drove out. However, this one seemed to be tampered with and reinforced, as someone had cleverly welded metal walls where the cloth cover was usually, making it a mixture of a typical military truck and a van.

When she parked and jumped out, she unlocked the back doors, before transferring the few supplies from her other truck over to the new one. Curious, Daryl wandered over and felt his breath exhale harshly and his eyes widened slightly.

The amount of supplies that was packed in the back of this truck… Fuck, there was food, guns, weapons, basic necessities, it was a fucking goldmine.

"You gather all this?" he asked and she smiled.

"I've been lucky I guess."

"Huh." He nodded, shaking his head in amazement as she closed the back and made her way to the driver's seat while he went back to his bike. It was about an hour back home and he wanted to get back as soon as possible, especially since night was approaching.

Rick would want to see Morgan and meet Anna and he knew that though his brother would be cautious, he would want Anna to stay, as she had the skills they needed to protect Alexandria.

As Daryl drove back, he also secretly hoped Anna would stay at Alexandria, though he would never admit it to anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Daryl and Anamika finally met! Sorry that it wasn't super dramatic or a very dialogue-heavy chapter, but I didn't feel like they'd be the type of people to meet and immediately start chatting, if you know what I mean. I thought about a lot of different ways for them to meet and finally decided I liked this part, because of what follows and I admit, I didn't want to deal with Alexandria before Deanna's awakening. In fact, I think Anamika would have just abandoned them if she arrived before the tribunal. So, I hope you guys liked it, let me know!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, with a very exciting meeting between Anamika and Rick;) I feel that not a lot happens in this chapter, but not to worry, we find out a bit more next chapter! Thanks for all the kudos and to Leerna and Rubber_Souls for commenting.
> 
> Enjoy!

It was dark by the time they arrived at Alexandria. The closer they had gotten to the community, the more nervous Anamika was starting to feel. She didn't know what she had been thinking, agreeing to go with Aaron. No matter what he said about Daryl's group, she was still dangerous to these people, still a monster living among the normal population. Who was she to decide that it was alright to put them in danger?

She bit her bottom lip as worries and the worst possible scenarios floated through her mind and unconsciously started driving slower as she started to see the structure of the walls appear in the distance, a dark shadow that seemed ominous to her apprehensive mind.

Her anxiety rocketed up as she imagined living among people who didn't understand her, who didn't understand the world outside their walls, who could get her killed with their naivety.

She knew,  _she knew_  that it would not be a weakness of her own that would get her killed, it would never be because she couldn't take care of herself; no, she would die trying to protect others. It was the conundrum and paradox of her life.

She killed people so she wouldn't die trying to save them.

And she hated it.

She knew she had almost no control over her body and mind, that when she fades into that white zone, she kills everything she sees as a threat to her, even if it was people who didn't pose a direct threat, but rather an indirect one.

And so her mind automatically analysed everything and everyone she came across through the eyes of a predator, searching for weaknesses and, if she identified some, she either had to run or fight.

Thus, when coming up to Alexandria, now close enough to see the massive, impressive steel walls looming up like the fortifications of a castle, her foot clenched down on the brake and her truck came to a screeching halt, the tires squealing and sliding a bit from the force of her immediate stop. She wasn't even aware of Aaron and Daryl stopping to see why she had stopped so abruptly. She was about a 100 yards away from the gate, but she couldn't make herself go closer.

She  _knew_  it was a mistake coming here.

Her entire body was preparing to run, to get away from the danger, the weakness and vulnerability she saw before her. She knew Aaron had photos of his community that he carried in his pack, but she had always refused to look at them, as she said it didn't matter if she saw them, she still wouldn't come back with him.

Some part of her mind now recognized that if she had seen them before, she definitely wouldn't have followed him back. Her mind started listing the weak points, the advantages she could take from their defenses, the ways she could overcome them and take what was inside.

There was no guard in sight, no lookouts and the one clock tower that would make the perfect vantage point was empty.

The braces on the walls would be her way in. She could easily run up them with enough momentum and the right shoes, but she knew not everyone was her. Still, it would be easy enough to shimmy up them, no matter who you are. On the panel to the left of the gate, opposite the braces that ran along to the right of the gate, there were even steel beams one could easily climb to get inside.

The top of the walls would be easy to get over, no spikes or wire would hinder her.

Going in the cover of darkness would be best, as they had nothing lighting up their gate or the walls. Though she knew it was probably to avoid attracting the dead, walkers, she thought it was a stupid decision, as walkers weren't the most dangerous thing out there. She'd rather deal with a few walkers at night than not see the living threat coming.

The area around her was open and perfect if she wanted to launch a full scale attack. Nothing stopped her from driving a large vehicle or something straight to their gates, no barricades or checks, no patrols that she could see, no funnel of any kind.

The woods would provide cover if she wanted to sneak in, she could practically come up to their walls without being seen, using the foliage as cover. If they were smart, they'd cut some of the trees down, not all, not enough to expose them from afar, but enough so that the enemy can't come right up to their front door.

Once inside, if it followed the same pattern as the neighbourhood she's seen so far, it would be easy to sneak behind and between houses and using a few of her grenades, even more easier to blow them to kingdom come.

Nothing kept her from getting right up to their walls and inside, from killing them.

And so, once she was inside those walls, nothing would keep others from doing the same to  _her_.

Her hands remained clenched on the steering wheel, vaguely aware of Aaron walking towards her, confused, as Daryl hovered behind him, his eyes squinting at her in confusion. Her door opened, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from Alexandria.

"Anna? What's wrong?"

"I can't go in there." Aaron turned, glancing at Alexandria and then Daryl, before turning back to her.

"Why not? Come on, you've gotten this far, I promise we don't bite." Aaron smiled and she could see he was trying to make her laugh and usually, his little joke would have, but nothing about this was funny now.

"I  _can't._ "

Some part of her knew she was overreacting, that it wouldn't kill her to stay one night there, that she could help them make it more fortified, to cover up the weaknesses now that she identified them, but she's been fighting to survive so long, and had done anything and everything to survive, that she physically couldn't make her body take a step inside those walls.

She vaguely heard Aaron tell Daryl to go on ahead, that he'd continue to talk to her and she was aware of Daryl and Morgan disappearing inside the gates. Aaron was trying to calm her down, trying to sooth her, but sudden yells and screaming from beyond the gate had her rigid in her seat, her mind racing along as her hand automatically gripped her knife.

The gunshot that followed a few seconds after cemented everything in her mind.

"I need to go, I don't belong here, I'm not a good person and this place isn't safe." Aaron was obviously just as worried about the gunshot, but since there were no further screams, it seemed he decided to focus on her, to keep her calm.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. You are exactly what we need and you are a good person. I can prove it to you. Rick and his group has these three questions they ask new people they meet and you can tell what type of person they are by their answers to these questions. I have no doubt that you will have the type of answers they want."

"What are these three questions?" Anamika was grasping at anything to distract her, because while she wanted nothing more than to run, she also didn't want to. She wanted to try and if there was anything,  _anything_  that could prove to her she deserved that chance, she would take hold of it with both hands.

"How many walkers have you killed?" Anamika blinked, thinking about the question and understanding why they would ask that. The amount of walkers a person killed says a lot about their skill level. She bet most of the people inside those gates would answer with none or close to none. Aaron seemed to be waiting for an answer, but she had no intention of answering the three questions yet, she first wanted to know what they all are. Lifting an eyebrow at him, she watched her friend sigh, before he told her the next two.

"How many people have you killed?... Why?"

Her throat closed up and her eyes shut involuntarily. She inhaled deeply, held it, before exhaling shakily.

She knew it was a mistake to come here.

Shaking her head slowly, her mind became calm as it accepted the inevitable outcome, knowing that even if she could overcome her need to run, she would never be allowed inside those walls anyway. Rick and his group would never allow it and she wouldn't blame them for it. Her answers to those questions would reveal everything about her.

Sighing, she slowly got out of the truck, closing the door as her hand clenched around the keys. Walking to the back, she ignored Aaron's confused questions as she opened it up and started packing some essentials into her backpack, along with a few extra weapons that didn't even make a dent in her cache.

"Anna, what's going on?" Anamika looked up, meeting her friend's worried gaze, and she couldn't help but smile gently at the confused man.

"Aaron… Thank you. But I don't belong here. Besides," she smiled at him somewhat self-deprecatingly, "I'll never pass those questions." She hoisted her backpack over her shoulders, knowing she had to leave the truck as with Daryl knowing how many supplies she had squirreled away there… Well, his group wouldn't want to give that up and she didn't want to fight or have anyone following her.

She  _had to leave_.

WD

"Rick, you need to see this. We found her man."

Rick looked away from Morgan towards Daryl, his mind struggling to catch up as it was still stuck in that cold place he went to when something threatened his family. Daryl seemed to recognize this, so he explained again.

"Anna, the one with the A calling card. Aaron and I ran into her out there, she saved our asses from a trap, along with Morgan here. She's outside with a truck full of supplies; man, you ain't ever seen anything like it. Come meet her."

Clarity bloomed in Rick's mind, now knowing who Daryl spoke of and though his brother said she saved them, Rick knew she could still be a threat. He needed to meet with her before she was around his people, inside his home. He followed Daryl after asking Carol and Michonne to take Morgan to the house to await his return, making sure Abraham had the rest of the situation covered and that someone was with Deanna. Soon they were outside the gate.

However, instead of seeing Aaron stand there with Anna and waiting for them, he saw Aaron running after a woman with a backpack on her back who was heading towards the forest. Immediately Daryl was running forwards, yanking her shoulder back as he stepped in front of her and blocked her path towards the forest.

"Where the hell you going?"

"I'm leaving. I don't want to stay here and you definitely shouldn't want me to stay here. I'm leaving the truck for you guys, make with it what you will, but please, since you have all my supplies, don't follow me and just leave me alone."

Rick glanced in the back of the truck, his eyes going wide with shock at the amount and variety of supplies she had neatly packed away there. No one in their right mind would give this up and it instantly made him suspicious of her. He turned and stalked closer, his hand resting on the grip of his colt python.

"Why would ya just give up all these supplies? Supplies mean the difference between life and death these days." She turned around, her sharp eyes taking in his blood stained appearance and stern eyes and in that moment, he saw in her just like she saw in him, the same type of darkness and willingness to do anything to survive, the obstinacy of life and the monster that lurked deep inside them.

She  _saw_ , he  _saw_  and both  _acknowledged_  it.

"Skill means the difference between life and death and I've got enough skill to gather more supplies if needed. I just don't want any of you to follow me and hinder me trying to get those supplies. That's all."

"You think we'll steal from ya? Kill ya for your supplies? Man, that ain't us." The woman turned towards Daryl, her body language relaxed, but Rick could see the muscles coiled beneath her skin. She was wary, cautious of them.

"We all stole them from someone Daryl. And as Rick said, for most people, supplies mean the difference between life and death. Would you willingly give up all that food and weapons?" She didn't seem to actually expect an answer, which is good because Daryl didn't give her one.

"Well, I'm sorry, but we can't let you leave. We know nothing about you and you know where we are. You're gonna have to come inside until we can make sure you're not a threat."

Immediately, Rick could see the change coming over her body, the coiled muscles now standing at attention, the subtle shifting to get into a better position, the way she seemed aware of everything around her even while keeping her eyes fixed on his.

"I'm not a threat to you Rick, unless you make me one. Just let me be, and there will be no trouble." Rick shifted, his hand curling around the grip, ignoring Aaron's worried and shocked expression, knowing Daryl would have his back should she try anything.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that." The silence seemed to ring in his ears and he was unable to tear his gaze away from her, the tension between them thickening. Her eyes were a mirror of his and he knew this wasn't going to end well. It sure as hell wouldn't have if he had been in her position, he was man enough to recognize that.

Then everything exploded into movement.

One second she was standing in front of him, coiled like a snake, and the next she was gone, her body dropping low and sweeping Daryl's feet out from under him. Rick ripped his python from his revolver, but before he could bring it up, her foot connected hard with his hand and the crunch in one of his fingers had him grunting as the gun fell from his hands.

Still spinning around from her kick, she extended her other leg and kicked his python, the gun sliding along the concrete towards the forest, disappearing into the shadows. At this moment, Daryl was up and instead of shooting at her, he dropped his crossbow and wrapped his arms around her, one around her shoulders and the other around her neck.

She was still standing right in front of Rick and without pausing from Daryl's hold on her, she grabbed the arms around her and threw her legs up, using Rick's chest as a stepping stone and springboard to throw her body over Daryl shoulder, kicking Rick to the ground and ending up with her chest pressed against Daryl's back.

She gave a massive push, throwing Daryl off balance as she was stronger than she looked, before she turned to run. Aaron had been standing to the side, horrified at how fast everything had gone to hell, but at the sight of her starting to run, he snapped back to himself and got in her path, his hands up.

"Anna, calm down! I promise we don't want to hurt you, they just don't know you like I do! Give them the chance to know you. Please!"

"Aaron, get out of my way or I won't be responsible for my actions."

Aaron refused to move and Anna hesitated briefly, before surging forwards, delivering a hard suckerpunch to Aaron's stomach. Rick could see she was going to leave it there, disappear into the woods, but Daryl had long since recovered and the next moment had tackled her to the ground, pinning her arms down and settling his weight on her.

Rick didn't even have time to warn Daryl as he saw the change overcoming her, the darkness that overtook her clear blue eyes.

He couldn't follow how she did it, but the next moment she was out of Daryl's grip, her body sliding along his as her arms slid around his neck, choking him. When she saw Rick coming, she brought her elbow up and brought it down hard enough on Daryl's head that he fell to the ground, not unconscious, but definitely disorientated and possibly concussed.

Rick saw her grabbing her knife and rushing forwards, her movements a blur. He realised that previously she hadn't been trying to hurt them, she had been holding back. Something had changed though, because now her movements were deadly, efficient and precise like a predator going in for the kill. He wouldn't let that stop him though.

He blocked her first attack, then her second one, but her movements were so fast and vicious that he had trouble keeping up. He knew he couldn't win in a fight that relied on speed, he would have to overpower her.

With that in mind, he grabbed her hand with her next thrust of the knife and reeled her in, intending to try and knock her out, but suddenly he was on his back, her legs wrapped around his waist as her arms were around his neck, and she  _pulled_. Immediately, he could feel his air being cut off, his body straining to break her grip, but her legs were like powerful vices around him and her arms unmoving steel beams.

His eyes started spotting and he could hear Daryl grunting, trying to get up, but too dizzy to stand, and Aaron was still heaving on the floor and he knew this could be it. He won't stop fighting, but he knew she wouldn't as well. He closed his eyes, ready to give it his all, when her grip suddenly went slack.

Breathing in harshly, he coughed, his hand grabbing his aching throat and sitting up, his head ringing from the sudden rush of oxygen. Glenn stood over Anna, the barrel of Rick's colt python in his hand as he had obviously just knocked her out with the grip. Blood covered his face and he was breathing harshly. Rick could see an equally bloody Nicholas standing a ways behind them, eyes wide as he looked at them.

"What the hell happened here? Who's she?" Rick shook his head, getting his breath back and then stood, inhaling deeply as he rested his hands on his hips. He looked down at Anna, who suddenly looked quite small and vulnerable in her unconscious state.

"I'll explain later. For now, help me get her inside. Then you can also tell me what the hell happened to you. Aaron, you good to help Daryl?" The man nodded, moving towards Daryl as Rick and Glenn hefted her limp body up between them. As they started towards the gate, Rick remembered Morgan waiting for him, as well as the truck of supplies that had to be brought in.

It was going to be a  _long_  night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, so what did you guys think? I hope it didn't seem unrealistic, that she managed to down Rick and Daryl, but we'll find out more about that next chapter and besides, they weren't entirely prepared for her skill in fighting. Sorry that not much happened in this chapter, I keep reading it and feeling like "is that all?" and then I check the word count and I see that it is on track hahaha. Anyways, I always love hearing from you guys, so here's to hoping!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, I've got you a monster chapter here! It's much longer than I usually post for this story, but don't get used to it ok. It was normal length, then I edited it and it became much longer, but it won't be a regular occurrence. You find out some things about Anamika in this chapter (yay!) and also the start of one of her most important relationships in this story. Kudos if you catch it (it's quite obvious;)
> 
> Thanks for the kudos, as well as to Leerna and Rubber_Souls for commenting, I appreciate it!
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika woke up in a locked room, the windows boarded up and a big red headed man sitting on a chair in front of the only door, his thick arms crossed over his chest, with his eyes trained on her like a hawk.

She twitched a bit, checking to see if she had anything tying her down, but found to her surprise that she had nothing restraining her or keeping her from escaping. She didn't entirely count the guard as something standing in her way, even if he was a big guy and she could tell he had some training, probably military judging by his posture and eyes.

She closed her eyes again, breathing through her nose as she pushed the panic down. She was obviously inside the walls and she was tempted to throw a tantrum and knock Daryl and Rick on their asses for bringing her in here, but the deed was done now. In the light of day, well, the little bit that shone through the boarded windows, she could see that she  _might_ have overreacted a tiny bit.

She standed by what she thought, about the weaknesses she observed in this place, but she had confidence in her skills to survive if there was an attack. Besides, with her here now, she could maybe cover those weaknesses.

Don't get her wrong, she was terrified of living in a community filled with weak people, people who didn't know what it was like out there, but she was also sure that Rick, their leader who she had been  _introduced_  to last night, wouldn't just let her walk out now and she didn't want to hurt anyone. She lived in isolation in order to keep innocent people from being hurt by her, so she's not going to start now.

Of course, she didn't know how innocent Rick was, seeing as he had been covered in blood when he came out, but that was unavoidable in today's world.

So although it was tempting to let the panic fill her again and to fight her way out, as she knew she could, that would be just what they expected and here, they had the home ground advantage. She was on their turf and she'd prefer not to kill a dozen or more people in her quest to be free. Thus, yawning, she settled back and made herself comfortable on the surprisingly soft bed and pillows. She wondered why she got such a luxury, but figured it might have to do with Aaron, since it certainly hadn't been her charming personality.

When her guard saw she was up, he stood and, without turning his back on her, knocked on the door. She was instantly more impressed to know there was a guard outside her door as well and nodded slightly, ignoring the way the redhead narrowed his eyes at the action.

About three minutes passed in silence as she looked through the slats of the boarded up window, reckoning it was just after dawn and most people would still be asleep.

It wasn't long before the door to her jail opened and Rick walked in, Daryl at his back, along with another tiny woman that looked as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders. She didn't look interested in the happenings around her, more as if she was obligated to be here, but couldn't care less about the outcome.

"Morning. We haven't met properly, I'm Rick."

She eyed him, surprised at the formalities, seeing as it was pretty obvious who he was, as Aaron had told her all about the new sheriff in town, but she obliged him nonetheless, "Anna."

"Aaron tells me last night was not the usual behavior for you, but I wonder about that. You seemed too willing to fight , and used to it as well." Anamika looked at Rick in silence, raising an eyebrow when she could see irritation crawling over his face.

"When I ask a question, I expect it to be answered."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear any questions there, only a statement." Rick's lips thinned as his eyes became more intense and Anamika wondered for a split second if it was smart to antagonise the man, though she decided she didn't really care.

"Alright, well, then let me list some more things." Sighing, she sat back, wholly unconcerned with the threats and promises she was sure to follow. Though when he did speak, she was quick to sit up and take notice at what he was saying.

"Daryl tells me you're the one that stole some of his deer in Georgia all those months ago. I would say seven months is a long time to be travelling alone and come as far as you did, but Aaron tells me that you've been alone from practically the start of all this. Of course, if this is what I think it is, you can obviously take care of yourself," Rick said, holding up a piece of paper she had signed for the people when she had written them a note, before Rick continued.

"We've seen an A like this before, carved into the face of a cannibal named Gareth. Daryl here was told some stories by men who called themselves the Claimers, who said some of their men were murdered and this was carved into the chest of one. That was you."

"I still don't hear a question" Anamika's heart was thudding in her ears and she had to consciously fight to keep her breathing level and calm. These people knew far more about her than what she had imagined, but luckily, they still didn't know everything. If they had, she would be dead already.

"Cut the bullshit. Was that you or not?" She rolled her eyes and held up her hands mockingly when Rick's eyes narrowed and his fist clenched around the paper. She was kind of amused by the tension lining his body, but finally decided to stop screwing around, as she didn't want to do this all day.

"Yes, it was me. I was captured at Terminus and while escaping, decided to leave Gareth with a little present instead of just killing him."

"Why? You left him to continue slaughtering people, you changed nothing!" A fire lit in Anamika's eyes and she sat up straight, leaning forward a little to gaze directly into Rick's eyes, ignoring the way everyone else tensed up.

"I changed something for me! I am trying to survive. That means I can't think about people I don't even know. I'm one woman, I can't save everyone. In that situation, killing Gareth would have lit an even bigger fire under the rest's asses, they would have come out en masse in search of revenge. By mutilating him, I showed them I was not to be messed with and left them something else to focus on besides me. It worked, they never sent out search groups more than five people. The way I dealt with Gareth ensured  _I_  survived. I did enough for other people by carving up his face and making sure no one could look at him and not suspect something was wrong."

Anamika couldn't make out the look in Rick's eyes, but she thought she saw a grudging respect in Daryl's and a smile twitching subtly on the big red headed man's face.

"What about the Claimers?" Anamika shrugged, relaxing back into the pillows.

"They weren't good men, who thought they could take advantage of a woman travelling alone. I just showed them the error of their ways."

Rick nodded, seeming contemplative, before he turned back to her.

"Aaron told me you said you wouldn't pass my three questions." Anamika stayed quiet, chills travelling down her spine. She knew what was coming and she really didn't want to have to fight her way out of there.

"How many walkers have you killed?"

"I'm not sure, they become a blur after a while. I've been out there on my own for almost two years, so, suffice to say, a lot."

"How many people have you killed?" Anamika pressed her lips together, her eyes trained on Rick's. She could see in his eyes that if she didn't answer, he would kill her anyway. She wondered what was even the point in answering if they would try to kill her either way, because her monster within would be on show with her answer.

But then she looked deep in those blue eyes that were so similarly shadowed like hers and she paused. Maybe, just maybe, he would understand. She can see that he's been out there as well, that he had killed as well and she felt it was a number close to hers. So she decided to take a chance.

"37."

She could hear the woman gasping and Daryl and the other guy straightened, their postures tense and weapons held in hand, though it wasn't pointed at her yet. Rick didn't react, just continued to search her eyes.

"Why?" Why, Anamika wondered. She knew why she killed most of the people, but how to explain the ones she did while zoning out, the ones who she could have left instead of killing them? She didn't think they would understand the complexity that was her mind and body working against her heart, hell, she didn't even understand it. So she settled on a simple answer that explained the core of her problem.

"Most of them were bad people that wanted to take advantage of me. The rest were because I wanted to survive, because if I didn't kill them, they would have killed me." Rick made no mention of how she seperated the bad people from the ones who wanted to kill her but apparently wasn't bad, but she could see he had caught it and wondered about it. She decided to make a point.

"Tell me Rick, how many people have  _you_  killed?" Rick met her gaze, his eyes steady, and she knew he had no obligation to answer her, but knew he would anyway, since he was like her.

"23." She smiled.

"Why?"

"Because it was them or me, my family. And I chose my family." She nodded, knowing the hard decision to take a life in order to protect someone else. It never gets easier to deal with. The act might be easy, but the face haunts you. That didn't mean, however, that she wouldn't do it if she had to.

"Aaron said you refused to come inside the gates last night, that something had you unsettled. What was it?" She looked up, wondering if she should really tell them about their vulnerabilities. By telling them, it meant she was making a commitment to helping them and ultimately staying. They may not know that, but she knew it. She had hunted and provided for these people and if she helped them fortify their community…

Well, for her, that was as committed as she could get. She tilted her head to the side, observing the man who could be her soul twin in darkness and she wondered why Rick needed to ask why she didn't want to come in. She was sure he could see the same vulnerabilities she could. Rick seemed to read the question in her eyes and he turned slightly, gesturing to the petite woman who had so far not said a word, though she looked a bit more present than she did before.

"This is Deanna, she's the leader of this community." Anamika's eyes travelled up and down her body, reading the strength of a woman in her stance, but the weakness of a victim in her eyes. She could see that she had some knowledge of how it is out there, but she could also see, that though she was dealing with a loss, she had never experienced the world out there and was ignorant of its dangers.

Suddenly she knew, she knew that Rick had tried to tell this woman about their vulnerabilities, but she hadn't listened and though Rick wasn't sure exactly what had caused her minor freak out, he did know it was something Deanna needed to hear. She smiled grimly, knowing that Rick was using her to shock the truth into this woman, because Deanna wouldn't listen to him and in the short time he had known Anna, he had read her and knew she wouldn't be afraid to speak her mind. She had to hand it to the guy, she was impressed.

So she decided to humor him.

"It was the weaknesses of this place. I won't live in a place where I am not safe." Deanna's eyebrows furrowed as she frowned. She was carefully regarding Anamika.

"I can assure you, Anna, that Alexandria is quite safe. We've never had a breach of security before. Well, before last night that is and I can assure you, that's a singular occurrence." The monster within her roared and Anamika smiled, showing a bit too much teeth and she could see Deanna's body fighting not to flinch, while redhead shifted slightly, more alert.

"You walls could easily be breached, either by climbing those braces or using the beams. You have no lookout, no snipers last night and no patrols. Your walls are dark and though that keeps the dead ignorant, it's not the dead you have to worry about. The darkness creates shadows, more places to hide in. Same with the forest. I could come right up to your community and you would never see me coming with your limited watches and dark corners. Hell, the road to your gate is open and accessible, I could come and ram a truck right into it and break through that pretty gate if my vehicle is big enough and I build up enough momentum.. Tell me, do your people carry weapons around inside?" Deanna hesitated and that was all the answer Anamika needed.

"They'll never be able to stop me. They'd be dead before they can reach the armory to arm themselves. Hell, I blow up the armory or secure it and you're done for. I've taken down more well guarded settlements before without breaking a sweat."

This seemed to alarm Rick and Daryl, as they exchanged a look while Deanna's face was filled with shock, before she calmed herself again and looked Anamika square in the eyes.

"So, what would you do to reinforce our security?" Anamika tilted her head, wondering again if she wanted to help these people who treated her with so much hostility, when her survival isn't even guaranteed. She didn't owe them anything, she didn't need to tell them anything. But her bleeding heart couldn't leave Aaron exposed and, though she didn't want to admit it, she wanted these people safe.

She sighed, rolling her shoulders and stretching her arms above her head, ignoring the way everyone twitched, before she sat forward, her eyes trained intently on Deanna, deadly serious.

"I would wrap heavy duty barbed wire around all of the braces, making it more difficult to climb. It wouldn't stop those who are really determined, but it will help. Dig trenches around the outside of the wall and fill it with spikes and you get the double security of keeping things away from your wall and killing anyone who tried to climb the braces, but falls because of the wire."

Daryl was nodding, but Anamika ignored him as she continued, "Install lights around the wall, like solar powered spot lights, that you can cover if necessary, but have if you need them. Cut down the first line of trees, followed by the second line of trees cut off about a yard above the ground, the third line a bit higher, continuing six or seven lines in. You won't give away your cover, but you will create some better sight lines."

She flicked her gaze to Rick, reading the subtle smugness in his stance before she turned back to Deanna.

"Build  _at the very least_  four lookout points, one facing each direction and have watch around the hour. Patrols inside and outside the wall lines, with walkies to communicate with each other. Use cars and other debris to block the road, make it less accessible and to funnel any undesirables to where you want them. Make it so that no one has a straight shot to your gates, rather they have to drive around obstacles and thus slow down. Have everyone carry a gun and knife to protect themselves and make sure they know how to use it. Do I need to go on?"

Rick had been nodding along with what she was saying, but Deanna's face was sour.

"You would have us turn this place into an armed camp. We are a community. We remind people here what it is to live, not just survive. We keep things normal."

"Then you will live and  _die_." Deanna reared back, stunned, but Anamika didn't care. Sh had to get this woman to understand.

"You might want to keep things normal in here, but no one out there got your memo. They don't care that you're trying to make a good living here or that you want to keep things normal, they just care about what they can take from you and how to best expose your weaknesses. And boy, they have the cake thrown in their laps right here. They attack now, and there would be almost nothing you can do to stop them."

Deanna had a stubborn tilt to her chin, but Anamika could see that she was listening, even if she didn't necessarily agree with what she was saying. However, the auburn haired woman knew she didn't have to convince Deanna, Rick would take it from here, she could see that in his eyes and the determination that lined every part of his body.

It was soon after that Deanna left, seemingly having had enough for the day and so did Daryl and Rick after telling her they'd be back soon. She was left alone with Abraham again, though not for long, for as soon as the sun had come up completely, Aaron came to pay her a visit. She immediately felt guilt flood her at the sight of him, as she remembered how she had punched him in the stomach, and quite hard at that.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you, but…" Aaron smiled and she could see the complete forgiveness in his eyes. Relief filled her, to know that the first friend she had made in the apocalypse didn't hate her now, especially because he had more than enough reason to.

"Hey, it's fine, I knew what I was getting myself into when I stepped in front of you. I know you held back, otherwise I wouldn't be up and walking now." She ducked her head, embarrassed, but for Aaron it seemed to be over and done with, as he immediately talked about how excited Eric was to talk to her again and how happy the people of Alexandria will be to hear she was there.

She felt quite shy and more than a bit terrified at the knowledge that these people were looking forward to meeting her, but also indescribably happy. For the next two hours or so, they were talking about nonsense topics, keeping themselves entertained, before Rick came strutting in, his hand on his pistol and a young man with a sheriff hat behind him.

"Aaron, meeting at Deanna's house. Abraham, you need to be there as well." Rick then turned to her, his face deadly serious and she could see the darkness in his eyes expand.

"Carl is going to be right outside the door. He has a walkie and a gun. If I find out you tried anything or hurt a single hair on  _my son's_  head, I will kill you in the most painful way I can think off, and keep your walking corpse tied up by the front gate as a warning to others. Do you understand me?"

She looked him in the eye and though she could have let her own darkness rise in challenge to his, she didn't have any reason to. This was another test, she was only surprised he was doing it with his son. He must have a lot of confidence in his son's abilities, that and the AK-47 his son was toting around.

So instead she smiled.

"Yeah, no problem. I don't make a habit of hurting kids." Carl seemed to scoff at her kids remark and she threw him a quick grin and wink, before they all left the room and locked the door. She knew now would be the best time to escape, but oddly enough, since meeting Rick and Daryl, she didn't feel as antsy about being inside the walls anymore. If they had an entire group of people just like those two, then Alexandria had a layer of protection more than what she had realised.

About 20 minutes had passed and Anamika was bored out of her mind. She didn't do well sitting still and the room was too small to pace properly. Instead, she decided to do some exercise. Getting up from the bed, she got down on the floor and started doing one-handed pushups, focusing her mind on the stretch and pull of her muscles.

When she got a nice rhythm going, she softly started to sing. It was one of her training programs, if she was in a secure enough place to do it, as singing required her to keep her breathing steady and regulated while doing something strenuous. It built her lung capacity up while training her muscles, something she needed in this world, as you often had to run far or fight for long periods of time.

_There was a time when I was alone_

_Nowhere to go and no place to call home_

_My only friend was the man in the moon_

_And even sometimes he would go away, too_

_Then one night, as I closed my eyes_

_I saw a shadow flying high_

_He came to me with the sweetest smile_

_Told me he wanted to talk for awhile_

_He said, "Peter Pan, that's what they call me_

_I promise that you'll never be lonely, " and ever since that day_

_I am a lost boy from Neverland_

_Usually hanging out with Peter Pan_

_And when we're bored we play in the woods_

_Always on the run from Captain Hook_

_"Run, run, lost boy, " they say to me_

_Away from all of reality_

Anamika was aware of the door opening a bit and Carl looking in at her, probably curious about what she was doing, but she ignored him as she continued singing. She didn't have a superstar voice, but she had a decent enough one, so luckily she knew she wasn't breaking the poor kid's ears.

She continued on, singing one of the rare songs that somehow stuck in her head after everything, even though she can't remember where she heard it. When she came to the chorus again, it was, to her great surprise, to suddenly hear another voice join in, a deeper but still juvenile one and, looking up without pausing in her song, she found that Carl was singing along softly.

_I am a lost boy from Neverland_  
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan  
And when we're bored we play in the woods  
Always on the run from Captain Hook  
"Run, run, lost boy, " they say to me  
Away from all of reality  
Neverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are free  
Neverland is home to lost boys like me  
And lost boys like me are free  
Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Wendy Darling  
Even Captain Hook, you are my perfect story book  
Neverland, I love you so  
You are now my home sweet home  
Forever a lost boy at last

She trailed off after the chorus, stopping her pushups as she sat cross legged on the floor in front of Carl, her eyes trained curiously on him. He cleared his throat, seeming in thought, before he finally sat down on the chair the man named Abraham had left behind. Though his body seemed relaxed, she could see he was ready to use the assault rifle in his hands at short notice, but she didn't pay that any notice as he started talking.

"My mom used to sing that to me. Even after this all started, she would sing it to me on days when it was hard, which was a lot. When I heard you sing it… It just reminded me of her."

Anamika nodded, her heart going out to the young man that had been forced to grow up too quickly, as she could only imagine what happened to his mom by the tone of his voice. She felt compelled to share a bit of herself with him, the pain in his voice touching something inside of her.

He would be the first person who knows this about her, though he definitely wouldn't be the last, as she knew very well anything she told him, he would report to his dad. Somehow, when looking into his eyes, she couldn't seem to care.

"I can't remember how I know the song. In fact, I can't remember much of anything. I have almost no memories prior to the apocalypse. I know my name because I had a medical bracelet that said it around my wrist, which I've long since lost. I have some serious survival skills, as well as a ton of knowledge on how to use firearms, other weapons and several forms of martial arts. Near as I can figure out, I was probably trained as a soldier or something similar, but I can't really remember. I don't have any memories pertaining to myself, just general knowledge."

Carl looked shocked and unsure of how to respond. He seemed to think about it a bit, before replying.

"That sucks." She let loose a startled bark of laughter at his blunt tone, a genuine grin stretched across her face.

"I don't know, I don't have people to miss and anything from the old world to hold me back. I was practically made for this world." Carl seemed to regard her deeply at that, his gaze far too intense for someone of his age.

"That's sad." She smirked, somewhat self-deprecatingly.

"I guess it is."

They both looked up when Daryl walked in and she wondered for how long he had been outside the door, as she hadn't heard any footsteps.

"Carl, ya ain't supposed to be in here. Your dad's not gonna be happy."

"I'm fine Daryl ,we were just talking." Carl rolled his eyes in the typical manner of a teenager, before he stood and walked out of the room, giving her a small wave which she readily returned. She really liked that kid.

"Come on, I'm here ta spring ya."

"Rick know you doing this?" She joked, laughing at the look he threw her. As if he would take her out of her glorified cell without Rick's knowledge. She followed him out, taking a deep breath of fresh air as they stepped outside. She hated being cooped up.

She smiled as she followed Daryl, curiously looking around her. Everything was so…clean. Immaculate. It was almost unreal and immediately made her feel as if she was walking into a fairy tale.

"It true, what you told the kid?" Knowing exactly what he was speaking of, she nodded, sighing as she elaborated after seeing his curious gaze.

"Yep. Woke up in what I later found out was the CDC, handcuffed to a bed and no memories of my life previously. Everything was going to hell around me and despite having no clue who I was, I knew I was in danger. I can't explain it, my body just knew something was wrong."

She exhaled harshly, remembering that confusing moment she woke up, her head ringing and curiously blank, yet filled with knowledge at the same time.

"Encountered one of the dead there for the first time, as I made my way out through the chaos of the military swarming the place and the scientists running around. It was real early on, like in the first week after the outbreak. When I got away, I found some weapons and gear and not long after, I met a couple. Stayed with them for about a week or so before… before they died. I vowed not to join another group again and here I am, almost two years later."

"Does your...amnesia have any effect on you? Like flashbacks and shit?" She hesitated, not sure if she wanted to tell him her darkest secrets, but something about Daryl was inherently trustworthy, almost more so than Rick and she found herself thinking that he wouldn't judge her. Besides, if she was going to be kept here like some caged animal, it's better for everyone if they knew exactly what they were in for.

"Well… Not flashbacks as such, I would have welcomed those. Sometimes, when I'm in danger, my mind kind of… fades. I go into this zone, where I eliminate whatever I register as a threat, without being totally aware. It's as if I'm a puppet and someone suddenly decided to play with my strings. It doesn't happen often,as I'm usually skilled enough to avoid getting into situations where I'm cornered, but it has happened before. It… It happened with Gareth and those Claimers. It almost happened last night, but I managed to hold it back. That's why I didn't want to come when Aaron first invited me. I'm more dangerous than I mean to be sometimes."

Daryl nodded, seeming deep in thought, but he wasn't a man of many words, she had soon realised and so she didn't try to fill the silence, instead comfortably strolling along. It was weird, confiding in a stranger who she had known for less than 24 hours, but also oddly liberating. She felt as if the load on her shoulders became slightly lighter and marvelled at the sensation, smiling softly as she strolled along with this rough redneck.

She found she wouldn't mind spending more time with him and felt completely at ease for the first time since she can remember. She wasn't sure if that was because he made her feel safe, or because she knew he could probably protect others from her if she gets out of control.

Daryl showed her to a house, saying that he was to watch her for now and that if it wasn't him, it would be someone else. She would have an around the clock guard till Rick felt she could be trusted, but for the moment he had other matters to deal with.

So instead, she entered the weirdly clean house on Daryl's heels and after wandering around the pristine mansion a bit and smearing dirt all over, Daryl showed her where the shower was, which she thoroughly enjoyed, before she sat down in the living room with a book open in her lap. It had been a long time since she was able to enjoy the unnecessary things in life and seeing as she was on lock-down, with her own gruff redneck prison guard, she might as well try this living instead of surviving thing, see what the big deal was. So ignoring Daryl's perpetual scowl and silence, she settled back and tried to enjoy the book.

Soon as she figured out who the hell Mr. Darcy was and why everyone seemed to like him so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope that Anamika's background isn't too stupid or cliche, believe me, there's going to be a few more twists along the way, this is only the start.
> 
> I received a question about Anamika's ethnicity based on her name and looks and here is my answer, for anyone interested. Anamika isn't particularly Nepali or even indo-european; I mean, she might have some mixed blood as most people do, but she was born in America and her parents or grandparents weren't immigrants. As you see, Anamika is the name she saw on a medical bracelet, meaning it could be her real name or it couldn't, it's just what she goes by now. I will say, *spoiler alert* there is more meaning behind it than just a name. The kukri is just a blade she found along the way, no particular meaning to it than I thought it looked cool. So imagine her the way you want to, but just know she is 100% American.
> 
> I also just wanted to clarify, in case some readers are disappointed by Anamika's behavior this chapter or thinks it's weird, she isn't some unreasonable killing machine. In fact, she cares too much about people, which is why she's being so cautious, as she's afraid she's going to die protecting them or hurt them herself. This is about the most important part of her character, as it explains everything she does. She tells her past to strangers because she wants them to be prepared in case she zones out. She doesn't put up a fight after being forced inside the community, because she doesn't want innocent people to get hurt. Her killing that couple damaged her so bad, that she about lives in fear of herself. She might be badass, but does that sound like someone who doesn't care and just does whatever she wants?
> 
> Tell me what you think about this and Anamika. I always love psychoanalyzing my characters with other people and hear how they see them:)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is here, hope you guys enjoy it and it's not too boring. So far I'm only making subtle, non-important changes to canon, the bigger changes will come later on. Thanks for all the kudos and to Leerna for the comment.
> 
> Enjoy!

The following week was quite odd for Anamika. She had heard that Rick had discovered a quarry filled with thousand of walkers a few miles from Alexandria, and everyone was preparing for the plan Rick had come up to lead the walkers away from Alexandria.

As such, Anamika had been placed on the backburner, not trusted enough to be seen as part of the community, but trusted enough to be let out of her cell, as long as she had a guard with her. That guard usually turned out to be Carl and she had no idea who it had been that had convinced Rick of this, as it didn't sound like something he'd do of his own volition.

She found that she really enjoyed Carl's company and even Enid, the occasional times she joined them. Carl had this way of accepting her, the way kids usually do, except he was not a kid any longer, she could see the adult in his eyes. Yet he also made her laugh, sometimes without even intending to, something she hadn't really experienced before.

She had also met Judith, the most adorable little toddler she had ever seen and she took every moment she could to coo over the pretty little girl, to the great amusement of Carl, Aaron and Eric, who sometimes joined them when they weren't busy.

Another thing that was odd to get used to, was the way the Alexandrians regarded her. People would frequently come up to her, smiling and making small talk and thanking her for the meat she had sent with Aaron. They clearly had no idea what happened the night she first arrived and she wasn't surprised about it, as she had heard quite a lot had went on that night. It made her feel uncomfortable, having all this attention on her, but also strangely happy, that people had appreciated what she did.

Yet she always made sure to keep them slightly at a distance, as she still regarded them as weak prey, lambs ready for the slaughter that always inevitably happened. She smiled- grimaced more like- when they made painful small talk, but always managed to find an excuse to get back to Carl and his understanding, yet accepting eyes.

The one thing though, that made her time in Alexandria more bearable during that week, were the new fortifications that took place. Since Rick had basically took over from Deanna as leader, because the woman had completely withdrawn from the community, he had taken into advice some of her suggestions. A new watchtower had been hastily constructed, there were patrols, cars and trucks were planted in the road leading up to Alexandria to prevent anyone from getting a straight shot to the gates and barbed wire had been wrapped around the braces.

There hadn't been time to dig the trenches yet and that made the barbed braces less effective than they would have been, but it was a start. Anamika could now actually walk through the community without feeling like her skin was crawling or that the shadows would jump out at her, though she still tensed when hearing loud noises.

When Anamika woke up on the morning of the dry run, she had felt nothing was amiss. The sun was shining, preparations for the big run tomorrow were complete, if the talk around the community was to be believed and she could look forward to an entire day spent with Carl and Judith, who was the new apple of her eye. She had never actually been around someone so innocent, so guileless and who only wanted one thing from her and that was loving attention and care. It was a novel experience she found herself quickly getting addicted to and she always felt a bit reluctant giving the little girl back to Rick at the end of the day, even with him scary side-eying her.

After she had taken a quick shower and gotten dressed, she was just putting her shoes on when Carol walked into her room. She had met the woman before, but had never talked to her for longer than a greeting.

The woman was always smiling and the typical housewife, but the meek act she put on didn't fool Anamika for a second. She could see the same darkness in her eyes that was in her own and in Rick's. In fact, Carol was so much like her, it was scary.

Except… Anamika could see guilt.

She knew Carol would do anything to keep her family safe, but she could also see the burden it placed on the woman, the load she willingly carried so others didn't have to. And while that made her respect the woman all the more, it also made her cautious, as someone who resigned themselves to doing what others couldn't wouldn't take counsel from others before acting.

If Carol decided Anamika was a threat, she would act, not debate it with Rick or someone else and that made her dangerous. Anamika didn't want to have to kill Carol, as she knew that would be a death sentence in itself and make the world for the rest of her group a lot darker and more dangerous, as she knew Carol did a lot to protect them.

And so Anamika played along with Carol's act, even though she knew Carol knew she knew that it was all an act. As long as Carol put up this act, Anamika would go along with it. She didn't want to needlessly aggravate the woman by letting her know the act didn't work with her.

"Morning, ready to go? I bet you're hungry?" Anamika smiled and nodded, following Carol out of the door. They went over to Carol's house, where there was some sort of breakfast casserole that smelt divine and tasted like the food from gods. Though Carol was brutal and vicious when she needed to be, she was one hell of a cook, Anamika could admit that much.

Footsteps had her looking up to see Carl coming in, Judith in his arms and she smiled widely, gladly taking the baby who reached out for her after giving Carl a playful noogie. As much as she was fond of Judith, it seemed the small girl was equally fond of her.

When Carl finished his breakfast, all three of them went outside, while Carol continued puttering around in the kitchen. Anamika enjoyed the sun shining on her face as she walked down the road, talking to Carl about superheroes and making funny faces to Judith. When the teen had heard that she couldn't remember ever reading them, he had immediately given her some comics and she was hooked.

It was a bit of a surprise to see that she was a closet nerd, but she geeked out and had long conversations about DC vs Marvel with him, with her being firmly in the Marvel camp and Carl arguing why both is good and you can't really compare them. She thought he was full of shit, but nevertheless continued those discussions, since it was some of the times he acted the most animated.

"Wait, so you're telling me that Batman would find a way to defeat almost any hero, as long as he had the time and information to prepare?"

"Yes, I mean, he's insanely smart, he is rich and he does whatever is necessary." She scoffed, ruffling his hair, since it was one of the rare days he wasn't wearing his sheriff hat and bopping Judith on the nose, smiling at the childish giggle it evoked.

"Whatever floats your boat kid. I think you're reaching a bit there."

"No, but see-"

The next moment happened in a blur.

A man covered in blood and dirt came rushing up to them from between the two houses they were passing, a large machete stained with gore raised in the air. His teeth was a filthy yellow and his eyes shined with a crazed light. She could make out the 'W' carved onto his forehead and she had a vivid reminder of the brutalised bodies and walkers she had found in her woods with those same 'W's' carved into their foreheads.

She immediately knew what she was dealing with and it took her less than a split second to automatically react.

Instinctively making sure Judith is held securely in her arms, the little girl having gone still when she felt Anamika's presence change, Anamika ducked low, spinning as she did so and raising her leg to kick the machete out of the man's hand. Sh had reacted so fast and so precisely that the man didn't even advance a second step forward.

As soon as she saw the machete leave his hand, she pulled her leg back and delivered a hard kick to his groin, dropping the stunned man to the ground with a whimper of pain, his hands cupping his groin and his face turning to her in a snarl. Her hand flashed out, delivering a hard strike below his nose aiming up, her entire body thrown into the movement and the man had a second to look surprised, before he slumped down, dead on the ground.

Exhaling slowly, her body stayed alert as she turned towards Carl. She was kind of surprised to see that she was still herself, but the warm weight of Judith seemed to calm her down and help her keep her mind. She couldn't afford to lose it with this baby in her arms.

"Carl, do you have a gun?" Carl shook his head, his eyes wide but ready for anything.

"No, only my knife. But I have a gun back home, my dad left it in the house in case of emergencies." She nodded, knowing that gun was probably meant to be used on her, but now it didn't matter. The one time it would have helped them if Carl trusted her less and carried his gun around and she was  _too trustworthy_. She snorted, feeling a morbid sense of amusement and panic bubble up in her, but breathed in deeply, knowing she had to act fast.

She stooped to pick up the machete the man dropped, then she started running, hiding behind bushes and houses as she continued down the street, knowing Carl would follow her. Luckily, they encountered no one and as soon as they made it back to Carl's house, she handed him Judith.

"Get inside, lock the door and kill any of them that tries to get in that house. You have to protect your sister."

"What about you?"

"I need to stop them, stop them from killing more people. Do you trust me?" Already she could hear screams starting up, but she had to make sure Carl trusted her enough to stay with his sister instead of trying to check on her.

When he nodded, his eyes serious but honest, she felt a warm feeling fill her heart and she smiled slightly, already knowing he trusted her enough to leave the gun home, but now also enough to give her free reign in his community.

Ruffling his hair, she smiled and pushed him towards the house, making sure he got in, before she took off running down the street, not bothering to hide anymore.

Down the street, she could see two men, one sitting on his knees stabbing a person who was long dead and another leading a man in a blue shirt by a chain. Eyes narrowing, she ran up, her footsteps causing both to turn around.

The man on his knees lunged at her, but with a graceful whirl she sidestepped him, sinking the machete into his skull in the same movement. Her eyes already trained on the next one, she leaned back to dodge his knife, before slipping under his guard and cutting his belly wide open. When he still tried to come for her, she blocked his clumsy strike with one hand and sunk the machete in his eye with the other.

Quickly untying the chained man and handing him a knife, telling him to get inside and hide, she looked around, making sure no one else was coming. Seeing a flash of color in the bushes, she stood and called out.

"Carol!" She ran towards the woman, her eyes constantlyl searching for threats.

"Carol, they're everywhere. I'm going to try and hold them off, but you need to get to the armory. It seems these people have no guns, so we can still get the advantage." The act of a meek woman was long gone as Carol's icy blue eyes regarded her.

"Yes, that's what I was thinking as well. You good here?"

"Yeah, I'll kill as many of these bastards as I can, you just get to the armory and show them hell." Carol didn't even bother trying to play the meek housewife, as she knew Anamika had never bought it and instead she quickly nodded and then disappeared into the bushes behind the house.

Anamika went on, losing track of how many men and women she killed. Her skin was stained red and though she amassed a collection of cuts and bruises, none were life threatening and she came out on top every time. It was after she just stopped a man from further dismembering one of the inhabitants that a horn started going off right outside the gate and she cursed.

As if things couldn't get any worse already. Killing another crazy lady who came at her with an axe, she started running towards the gate where the horn was sounding, but before she made it halfway, it stopped and she paused. Instead of continuing on to investigate, she left it alone, as there were still plenty of enemies in Alexandria. Her hair was plastered to her head and the machete was dripping with blood, as was every other part of her body.

A single gunshot sounded and her head whipped around. She sincerely hoped that was Carol and not the invaders, though she doubted one of these savages could defeat Carol. The woman was a force to be reckoned with, or at least that was the feeling Anamika got. Running on, she heard a crash in one of the houses and ran in, only to see Ron, one of the boys about Carl's age, standing in stunned silence as he watched Jesse stab a man over and over with a piece of glass.

"Jesse, you good here?" Anamika knew she sounded abrupt and uncaring, but she had things to do and people to kill and couldn't spend her time coddling a woman. Jesse nodded, kinda shell shocked, but it was enough for the auburn haired woman, as she ran out again.

A lot more gunfire was now filling the air and when Anamika turned down one of the streets, she saw, to her dismay, a invader running around carrying a gun. Just as she was about to take care of them and make sure none of the others were carrying firearms, she realised the way the person moved was familiar and then she smiled.

"Carol!" The woman looked up, took in Anamika's bloody appearance and then turned away unconcerned.

"We got most of them, but a few were heading towards the gates. We can't let any one of them live." Anamika nodded and turned to head in the direction of the gate, ready to leave, when Carol called out.

"Anna!" Turning, she automatically caught the gun that was thrown towards her, meeting Carol's intense gaze.

"Don't make me regret it." Nodding, she turned and ran down the street, shooting any enemy that she saw. She had just made it to the gate when she saw Morgan chasing some men who was running towards the gate and she lifted her arms, her eyes trained on the back of the woman and she squeezed.

The woman dropped dead, the other four pausing briefly to stare and look to see Anamika, before they continue running, the first two already out the gate. However, she was determined that not one would escape. Aiming, she was about to fire when Morgan entered her line of fire and she growled, the sound low and dangerous.

"Morgan, step back. This is not the time to go on about your life ideology!" In her time at Alexandria, she had talked a bit more with Morgan, but had found the man's ideology too idealistic and condescending. Needless to say, they weren't each other's favourite persons.

"They are leaving. You have no reason to attack them anymore." She couldn't believe what this man was saying! He had his eyes firmly closed to the world, choosing to live in a world where everyone could be redeemed just because he had been.

"Look at what they did Morgan! Look!" Morgan avoided her eyes, but his stance remained confident.

Throwing her hands up in disgust, she turned and walked away, knowing the guys would long since have disappeared into the woods. She started making her way to Rick's house, wanting to check on Carl and as she went she made sure to stab every body without a visible headwound in the head and kill any walkers that walked around from previous residents or enemies.

Coming up to Rick's house, she saw a man lying dead outside on the grass and she was immediately worried for Carl and Judith inside, though she knew Carl could handle himself. She ran up the porch, making her way inside.

"Carl?"

"Anna!" Following the direction his voice came from, she saw him in the kitchen, placing a casserole on the counter and the sight was so absurd after what just happened, that she couldn't help the laugh that escaped. Carl's face twitched into a smile and she walked around the counter, reaching a hand up to ruffle his hair, when she saw the amount of gore covering her hand and remembered it might not be the best time to touch him right now.

"Right, I need a shower. I could be mistaken for a walker almost." Carl just laughed and she grinned at him as she trudged up the stairs, craving the warm bliss of a soothing shower. She thought she deserved a reward after all her hard work.

The thought had her stifling giggles, as she contemplated that killing a murderous group of savages constituted as her job these days. Abnormal times becoming normal.

After she was done and dressed in fresh clothes, she checked on Judith, stroking the sleeping toddler's cheek, before she went downstairs. Ruffling Carl's hair, she walked out of the house and towards the gate. She knew there was a lot of cleanup to be done, but she thought it best she kept a lookout, make sure nothing happened while Alexandria was still recovering from the latest attack.

Climbing up the guardpost at the front gate, she looked out over the empty road. It was difficult to believe that it was still morning, it felt like a lot of time passed, when in reality very little time had passed, though a lot happened. She had seen Michonne on the way here and heard that they had to do the run early, as one of the truck guarding the quarry had fallen and also that half the herd broke off because of that horn and might be heading this way.

Thus she thought it prudent to keep an eye out incase, but the truck further down the road kind of blocked her sight. She twitched in annoyance and thought she would have to remedy that, as it was a serious security issue.

She glanced over when she heard someone climb up the ladder, but looked away when she realised it was just Deanna. The woman was quite shocked by what happened this morning and Anamika didn't want to make her feel worse by telling her she had warned her of this. She reckoned the petite woman was already aware of that. The silence stretched between them, until it was broken by a single sentence Deanna whispered, almost seeming to talk to herself instead of Anamika.

"I see now..."

Anamika glanced at her, before keeping her eyes forward, focused on the road as the hot sun beat down on her, sweat already crusted into her shirt.

Seeing some movement further up the road, she frowned, leaning forward to better see what it was, when a voice on the wind was carried to her. Climbing onto the support of the walls, she turned her head to hear the voice clearer and suddenly, it was as if it jumped out at her.

" _Open the gate!"_

It was Rick, running and sweating as what seemed to be half the horde followed closely behind. She could see the walkers coming out from in front of the gate and she knew they were going to cut off Rick before he could reach the gates, or at least make it a close call. Making a split second decision, she threw her legs over the wall and slid down the brace, the wire already damaged from the wolves climbing it, easily balancing herself.

Landing, she rolled and came up running, stabbing two walkers in the head before they were even aware of her. She could hear the gate opening behind her, so she just had to make sure there were no walkers in front of Rick to hinder him. She killed walkers left and right and as soon as Rick reached her, she moved back with him, making sure no walkers could grab hold of them.

They reached the gate just in time, because as soon as it closed behind them, the walkers were there, growling and moaning as they tried to reach the meal standing a few yards away. Breathing harshly, she stared at them wide eyed, not quite sure what to make of this.

Her back was sweaty and her palms shaky as she realized they would soon be surrounded and badly outnumbered and she had no idea how to deal with it. Their best bet, which would be to lead the walkers away with a car, still involved them getting outside the walls and that wasn't going to happen.

In short, they were trapped.

And she didn't like it one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope that chapter didn't go too fast for you? I know it seems like a lot of this is moving quite fast and it is. There's going to be a bit of a slow-down after this arc, but not too much, as I don't like typing filler chapters. Hoped the action was alright, as it was the majority of the chapter:D Please let me know what you thought!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the laate update, my friend turned 21 and we were planning and then celebrating it, so things go quite hectic. Once again, not too much happening in this chapter, it's more one that leads into the next chapter, where the really exciting stuff happens, as you all know;) Thanks for all the kudos and to Leerna, Rubber_Souls and farawayeyez for commenting, I appreciate it!
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika was leaning on the wall, her arms crossed and her eyes studying the inhabitants of Alexandria around her. She could see the panic in all of their eyes, though some tried really hard to hide it and pretend nothing was going on outside the wall. Kind of hard to do when the groans of the walkers surrounding them were making it hard to think.

Anamika had walked the perimeter of the wall inside and had confirmed, to her disgust, that the walkers were all around needed to set it up so that this could never happen again and they needed to make sure they had an escape route, even if they had to hand dig a tunnel after this was all over.

She ignored Rick as he walked over, knowing the gist of what he was going to say and instead started thinking of ways to get out of this. She knew Daryl, Sasha, Abraham and Glenn would come back to help them, though she honestly wasn't sure that Nicholas would make it, snivelling coward that he is, but she wasn't sure if they had the time to wait for Daryl and the others to make it back.

"Those people that attacked us… They found their way back here because of me." Anamika looked up at that, hearing Aaron's guilt filled voice and seeing his lowered head. She looked around to see anger, disbelieve, disappointment and heartbreak on the people's faces and anger flared up in her at the silence that was filled with blame.

"That's bullshit. These people were in the area for some time and they would have found us with or without your backpack. People always find a way and that's not on you. Do I make myself clear?" She looked around at the people and was satisfied when most nodded along with her words or couldn't look her in the eyes. She looked at Aaron, who smiled timidly at her and she returned it readily.

Ignoring the issue with Deanna, Anamika wandered away, set on checking up on Judith and Carl and maybe catching a nap, she was exhausted and thought she could just as well make use of the fact that she was behind walls and would be for the foreseeable future.

"Anna!" She turned at Rick's voice, waiting for him to catch up and squinting in the sun as she watched his face, waiting for him to speak.

"So, Carl told me that you saved him and Judith, protected them with your life and then fought for Alexandria. Carol also told me how you helped her and made it possible for her to reach the armory unhindered."

The woman stayed quiet, unsure of what to say. She had never thought Carl and Carol would speak to Rick about her efforts and to be honest, she didn't do it to get Rick's trust, she did it because she couldn't allow anything to happen to Carl or Judith, or to the people of Alexandria who looked up to her, even if she remained a bit uncomfortable and cautious around them.

"You didn't have to do that, but I'm thankful for it. My kids are everything to me and Alexandria is a way for them to stay safe. You more than proved yourself one of us. So, starting now, no more guards, I'll give you your gun and machete back as well, so you don't have to take on an armed man with no weapons and a baby in your arms." She couldn't help but match Rick's grin, chuckling slightly even though there was nothing funny about that situation.

"Thanks Rick. It means a lot. Carl is a brave boy, he really protected his sister well." Rick nodded, a proud smile on his face as they walked to the armory.

"That reminds me. The keys to your truck." Anamika stared down at the keys in Rick's outstretched hand, her mind stuttering to a halt. Stunned, she looked up at Rick and saw an uncharacteristically soft look on his face, that she knew he reserved for family. She had never seen anyone direct such a look towards her and she felt her heart clench and a burning in her eyes. She managed not to cry, but it was a close call.

"But… the supplies…" Rick shrugged, still holding the keys towards her, though she didn't take it.

"They're yours. You gathered it and probably spilled blood doing so, I won't take that from you." She felt her throat clog up and exhaled noisily, swallowing to make sure nothing escaped past her expression, though from the slight smile on Rick's face, she was sure she failed. She reached out, closing her hand over Rick's so that his fingers curled around the keys again.

"Keep it. Add it to Alexandria's stores. If I'm one of you now, then what is mine is yours right?" Rick gazed at her intently, before he nodded and smiled, pocketing the keys. Anamika felt a new sense of belonging settling in her chest, knowing she finally admitted that she would not be able to leave these people, especially Carl and Judith, now that she had gotten to know them. Glancing at Rick, she smiled and thought that it might not be so bad to stick around.

After that they walked the last bit to the armory in silence, a new understanding between them, as well as a feeling of trust and camaraderie. After she was handed her machete and pistol, she nodded to Rick and made her way to his house, while he wandered off somewhere else. Reaching the house, she saw Carl standing on the porch with Judith, though his eyes were focused on something else, as was his mind she reckoned.

"Hey Carl! Guess who's a free woman?" She laughed as Carl started and turned towards her, before what she said registered and he smiled.

"My dad gave you free reign?" His eyes were focused on her weapons and she smiled and nodded as she walked up the steps.

"Hey, want me to take her for a bit so you can go do whatever it is you wanted to do?" Carl nodded, handing his sister over and jogging down the steps, disappearing down the street.

"Who's a pretty little girl huh? Yes, you are the most beautiful girl in town, yes you are." Smiling as Judith giggled and babbled at her, she went down to the grass, playing with Judith for the next two hours, before the little girl started yawning and she picked her up, heading inside. After feeding her some pureed fruit, she walked with her around the livingroom, cradling her body in her arms as she hummed, before singing the chorus.

I am a lost boy from Neverland  
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan  
And when we're bored we play in the woods  
Always on the run from Captain Hook  
"Run, run, lost boy, " they say to me  
Away from all of reality  
Neverland is home to lost boys like me

Feeling Judith's warm body heavy against her, she saw the little girl was already sleeping. Walking over to the couch, she lied down, gently settling Judith against her chest, before she closed her eyes, her arms securely wrapped around the toddler's body. It wasn't long before she felt sleep creeping up on her and gently turning on her side, she laid Judith between the couch back and her body, before she, too, fell asleep.

She woke to pots banging in the kitchen, her mind confused as her eyes blinked sleepily. There was something squirming in her arms and as she looked down, she saw Judith sitting against the couch back, a big smile on her face as she fiddled with Anamika's hair, which had come loose sometime as she slept.

Yawning, she tickled Judith's stomach and smiled as the girl giggled. Sweeping her up in her arms, she wandered over to the kitchen, finding Carol making breakfast while Carl and Rick stood at the counter.

"Morning sleepy head." Looking around startled, she realised it was indeed morning, which meant she had slept with Judith all night on the couch when they laid down last evening. She was surprised no one woke her up or took Judith to her cot and Rick apparently saw that, as he answered her silent question with a smile.

"You looked so comfortable and Judith was perfectly happy where she was, that I decided to leave you. Carl managed to get something precious out of it as well." Looking towards the boy, curious, he grinned and held up a polaroid. Anamika blushed brilliantly when she saw herself snuggling with Judith on the couch, both Judith and her drooling a bit as they slept. Carol, Carl and Rick all laughed as she grumbled half-heartedly and handed Judith to her father so she can be fed.

Pointing a threatening finger at Carl, she mock-threatened him, eyebrows scrunched together dramatically, "I'll get you back for that, just you wait!"

"Sure sure, whatever you say Anna." Huffing, she pouted and crossed her arms, though she couldn't help but chuckle when Carl ruffled her hair with a smirk, obviously teasing her. It was then that Carol served them breakfast and as soon as they finished eating, they left the house, because walkers still surrounded them twenty-deep and there was a lot to do.

Since Rick was heading to the front gate, Anamika headed to the back, patrolling to make sure she couldn't find any weak spots, especially with the walkers pressing up as they did. She spent most of the morning doing this in solitude, ignoring the gunshots she heard when they ended after less than a minute, figuring Rick had sorted whatever was happening.

Just after noon, she started making her way back, intending to ask Rick if there was anything he needed her help with, when she detoured after she saw Judith with Jesse. Tickling the girl's tummy and kissing her cheek, she smiled at the woman and continued on. When she almost made it to the front gate, a groaning creak had her looking up in confusion, and then the sounds of wood creaking and breaking filled her ears. Sprinting forward, she rounded the corner just in time to see the old clock tower fall on the weakened bit of the wall, taking the entire panel with it.

Her breathing slowed as the world went silent around her. Her heartbeat thudded slowly in her ears, the beats loud in the sudden absence of noise. Her thoughts had stuttered to a stop and she inhaled slowly.

Thud

Thud

Thud

She exhaled harshly, the groaning moans of walkers slamming into her as people started yelling in panic and ominous shapes moved through the dust. Her body snapped into motion and she shouted loudly, her commanding voice instantly capturing the attention of the people around her.

"Go to your houses, barricade the doors and hang curtains or linens in front of any windows. Stay quiet and calm until Daryl and them comes back and we sort this out. Move, move, move!"

People started running again, entering their houses in little groups and locking and barricading the doors behind them. Anamika was killing walkers left, right and center as she insured everyone made it inside, then she ran to where she could see Rick supporting Deanna, who was bleeding from her leg and side. Grabbing Deanna's other arm and slinging it across her shoulders, she started leading them to Jesse's, where she knew Judith at least was.

Michonne, Carl, Gabriel and Ron soon joined them as they fought off walkers, but when the walkers came from the front as well, Anamika dropped Deanna's arm and leapt forward, slicing through them as she yelled at Rick to go to Jesse's. Luckily, it seemed Jesse heard the commotion, as she came out and started shooting the walkers surrounding the group, ensuring they had a gap to get in. Running backwards, she made sure everyone got in and only turned to run in when she heard Rick yelling at her.

Immediately, as Rick, Michonne and Jesse ran up the stairs with Deanna in Rick's arms, she started closing curtains and grabbing linen from the closet to cover up any windows that didn't have curtains. Hearing Judith start to cry from where she was in her brother's arms, she walked over, holding her arms out and taking the baby girl, swinging from side to side with her as she hummed softly.

Slowly, Judith's cries petered out and her eyes closed, the tiny girl exhausted from all the excitement. Walking up the stairs, she placed the sleeping girl in her cot, turning when she felt a presence behind her. Rick stood in the doorway, his face haggard as he pinched his nose between his fingers.

"Deanna's been bit." Anamika sighed, rubbing a hand over her face and into her hair.

"Fuck." There didn't need anything else to be said and though she had talked to Deanna on various occasions, they had never really gotten close, especially with Deanna being so out of it the past week she had been here. Watching Rick watch over his daughter, she patted his shoulders and walked out, going downstairs to keep an eye on things. She saw Ron go into the garage and didn't think anything of it, but she took notice when Carl went in as well.

She frowned, but didn't move to check on them, as she knew they were kind of friends, though she detected some hostility in Ron, but that was to be expected, given the entire situation with his dad. However, when she heard a click and then a loud thud against the door, followed by the sounds of fighting, she immediately ran over, trying to open the door only to feel that it's locked, as she suspected. Taking a step back, she threw her leg out, kicking the door hard. She did this again and again, and when Rick came running down the stairs, followed by Jesse, she stepped back.

Rick, use your hatchet to break the lock, quickly!" Rick asked no questions, he immediately started hacking at it and when she deemed it loose enough, she told him to step back and gave the door one hard kick. It flew open and she rushed through, ignoring Ron as she grabbed Carl and pushed him towards his father, hacking a walker on her tail down before she ran out of the garage, slamming what was left of the door shut and leaning on it.

Rick soon came with a couch and she focused on keeping the couch in place, but when she heard Ron say something about a couch and saw Carl following him through the doorway, she told Rick she was going to help them and rounded the corner, just in time to see Carl close the door behind him.

Standing with her head bent towards the door, she heard muttered words, before she clearly heard Carl tell Ron to give him the gun. They talked a bit more, Carl telling him his dad was an asshole, when Anamika decided she had enough. She wasn't like Rick, who had a father's instinct, she didn't care shit that Ron was a kid that had a rough time lately, she only knew one thing, knew it with a certainty that burned in her.

Ron had tried to kill Carl.

She pushed the door open, closing it behind her as she stared at the two teens, who looked surprised to see her. Carl stepped forward, as if to caution her, but she gently pushed him aside and walked to Ron, grabbing his upper arm in a bruising grip. Bringing her face close to his, she let a bit of her darkness show, watching as his face paled and he leaned away from her. Baring her teeth, she spoke to him, her voice low and dangerous.

"I don't care what you and Carl say happened in that garage, I know the truth. If you ever try to harm or kill Carl again, I will end you. I don't care what Rick or your mother say or do, I will feed you to the walkers and laugh as they tear your insides from your still breathing body. Do I make myself clear?" He nodded, his eyes wide and his breathing shallow. Staring him down for a further few seconds, she abruptly released him and stepped back, turning to Carl.

"You really ok? He didn't hurt you?" Carl shook his head and she nodded, relieved as she gave him a short hug.

"Come on, let's go."

Anamika held watch for the next fifteen minutes, but the amount of walkers gathered outside had increased and they were starting to break through. Gritting her teeth, she helped Michonne barricade the windows that were starting to break, when she had an a relatively petite walker, the woman having been smaller than Deanna when alive, she pulled it through the broken window, ignoring Michonne's shouts as she stabbed it in the head and threw it behind her. The others were still trying to keep the doors and windows barricaded, but she began smearing guts all over her clothes, coating herself in it and even draping some intestines around her neck. She saw Rick come running down the stairs and stopping dead at the sight of her.

"Rick, I'm going to head out to the armory, get some weapons for us, maybe find a car that works to lead them away. If I'm not back in an hour, you get linens and do this, get out of the house, they will overrun it completely sooner or later."

"You can't go alone."

"I have to. You need all the people you can get here, but I can do this, I've done it plenty of times before. Rick, they need you, only you can lead them through this." She could see the reluctance in Rick's eyes and knew he was going to argue with her some more, but at that moment, Michonne's yell caught their attention and the walkers started breaking through, the barricades ineffective.

Everyone started rushing up the stairs and she checked to make sure they all made it, standing quietly in the corner as the walkers ignored her. Seeing that Rick and Michonne managed to barricade the stairway, she met Rick's eyes, giving him a nod and ignoring Michonne and Jesse's panicked questions about what she was doing. Slowly walking out the door, she turned in the direction of the armory, her gate slow so as to not rouse suspicion and her eyes flitting about her, flinching minutely when she bumped into walkers, which was basically constantly.

Luckily, the guts were working and they completely ignored her, blind to her presence as she moved through them, determined to save Alexandria.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter is very canon, it's kind of hard to deviate when it's just them scrambling to escape the walkers, but I promise next chapter will be a bit more interesting:) Please let me know what you thought regardless, especially on Rick and Anamika's current dynamic and how you think it will develop.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the new chapter, sorry it's so late, but I was kind of down and kept forgetting to post it. A bit more action in this chapter, hoping you guys find it more interesting than the last chapter:) Thanks for the kudos and to Leerna for commenting!!
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika scrunched her nose slightly, a disgusted expression threatening to break out on her face as yet another living corpse bumped against her, rotting flesh and stuff that oozed smearing against her. She might not be as bothered by the dead as other people were, but even she had to admit that walking through a horde of these things, covered in guts and just about reaching second base with every walker squeezed up against her was not her idea of a good time.

Keeping her eyes on a constant swivel to make sure the walkers remained ignorant of her beating heart, she slowly continued on her way. About twenty minutes later, she was finally closing in on the armory, when she saw something that had her pausing.

It was Gabriel, walking slowly from the direction she had come in and she could see a bump under the linen covering him in gore, which could only be Judith, judging by the way he was making quiet shushing noises and the nervous twitch in his eyes. She turned and headed for him instead, pulling him aside gently when she reached him, glad he didn't put up a fight or make a noise when she dragged him behind a bush and thus risk attracting unwanted attention.

"What are you doing here?"

"Rick, he decided to try for the quarry, to get cars and lead the walkers off. But Judith can't make it that far, so I offered to take her to my church."

"Dammit, I told him to wait!" She huffed, before looking into Gabriel's eyes, holding his gaze as she tried to make sure whether she could trust him with Judith. However, she saw determination and bravery in his eyes, and she smiled. She had heard what Gabriel had done previously, but she could see he had been changing his behavior, becoming at peace with himself and evolving; and she had to admit, she liked the man he was turning into, respected him for it.

Nodding, she patted his shoulder, watching as he walked away, now very close to his church, before she continued on. She wanted to go to Rick, but felt they had a better chance with at least some guns and she was less than a block away from the armory and from there it was a straight shot to the main gates, which Rick would be heading for.

Finally reaching the building, she went in and closed the door behind her, grabbing some assault rifles from the shelves, though she knew this herd was too big to thin out using the guns, but she could still distract them with it.

Exiting the building, she made her way in the direction Rick would be heading in, her body tense as the sun started to set. She moved a bit quicker than was normal and some of the walkers turned to her curiously, but despite their momentary interest, the blood still worked and the dark made it difficult for them to easily notice any differences between them and her.

Her heart was pounding and she felt her hand clench nervously around the guns she held, not comfortable that Rick and them was walking through the herd. It was one thing for her to walk on her own, another thing when it was a large group of people. A bigger group meant more chance of mistakes made and it didn't calm her mind to know that they had a kid with them, especially ones like Sam and Ron.

She knew Ron still held a grudge against Rick and Carl and cursed that she wasn't there to keep an eye on him, as she knew Rick was oblivious and Carl had some need to 'save' Ron or some shit. Finally, she could see Rick's group in the distance, but something was wrong. Rick was standing still, sweating and shaking and she could see him shaking his head, staring at something.

Following his line of sight, she felt nausea push up in her throat as she watched Jesse getting torn apart, the woman not even fighting. Sam was nowhere to be seen, but a group of walkers were hunched over something, so she felt she knew why Jesse wasn't fighting back.

Immediately, her eyes jumped to Ron, who was staring at his mother in a daze, before he bent to pick something up. She didn't even pay attention to Rick cutting off Jesse's hand that clutched at Carl's wrist, she just started running, knowing Ron had snapped and lost it. She knew Rick could take care of himself, but she wanted to make sure Carl didn't try and talk to Ron, as she knew the teen wanted to help the other boy.

Her heart was pounding in her ears as she pushed walkers out of her way, not even caring about the attention she was drawing, as her vision narrowed to the gun Ron had picked up, pointed towards people who she had soon come to care about. Snarls and moans filled her ears, but she paid it no mind, killing the walkers in her way with the machete she held in one hand, knowing the guns she carried would only make the situation worse.

Reaching Carl, she pulled him towards her and behind her, ignoring how he stumbled into her shoulder as she turned to face Ron, just as a shot went off.

A moment of blinding pain filled her mind as her shoulder jerked back and her body twisted with the force of the shot. However, her attention wasn't on the pain in her shoulder for long, because as she turned, she felt Carl sway and when she looked at him, it was to see the entire right half of his face bloody, his expression dazed.

"Dad…?"

Her breath hitched, her eyes widened.

_No..._

"C-Carl…" Rick's agonized stutter barely registered in her mind as red filled her vision, though she couldn't be sure if it was because of anger or the amount of blood that covered Carl.

Her mind slowed, the white haze starting to drift over her vision as Carl slowly fell to the ground, a second passing like a small eternity for Anamika.

_Not Carl..._

She had sworn to protect Carl, sworn she wouldn't let anything happen to him, but now…

_She failed..._

Carl was on the ground, bleeding out, Judith was off with Gabriel somewhere, Daryl still hadn't come back and she held a weird fondness for the gruff man. She was just a failure who couldn't do anything, who continued to fail the people depending on her, just like she failed that couple in the beginning.

She knew Ron was dangerous, knew he was a loose cannon with a grudge against Rick and thus Carl, but she had left him with Carl anyway. She hadn't told Rick about it and that meant what happened to Carl was on her. She was to blame for all of this, she could have prevented it.

Her mind darkened with rage and she roared, swinging the AK-47 she had over her shoulder around and firing into the herd of walkers that had started to turn their attention to the bloodied boy in front of her.

"Take Carl to the infirmary, I'll distract them.  _GO, NOW!_ " Her voice was stern but eerily calm as she yelled at Rick, watching as he picked Carl up and seeing a distraught Michonne running in front of him, killing any walkers that turned their way, but most of the walkers ignored them as they made their way towards her, the gunfire attracting them.

She saw that Rick now had a clear shot to the infirmary, with almost no walkers following him and as much as she wanted to make sure Carl was alright, she couldn't let the walkers crowd around the infirmary and break in. Denise needed to focus on saving Carl's life, she couldn't be worrying about walkers clawing at them from outside.

She had to keep them away from the infirmary.

When the bullets ran out, instead of reloading or getting a new gun, she threw the bag of guns on the floor and grabbed her machete in one hand and her kukri in the other. She already had the attention of the walkers in the vicinity, she didn't need to drag even more to her with more gunfire.

She had to keep them away from the infirmary.

She swung, her body falling into a well-known rhythm as she sliced walker after walker, their twisted faces blending together. She could feel blood from her shoulder wound coating her skin, but she didn't care, the pain didn't even register on her mind.

She  _had_  to keep them away from the infirmary.

Snarling, her mind blanked into the whiteness and killing walkers became her only mission.

WD

Rick felt as if he was in a void, where all color and sound disappeared and all that he was aware of was Carl's limp body in his arms and, after he placed him on the gurney for Denise to look at, the warm blood that covered his hands.

Carl's blood.

His son was bleeding out on the table in front of him, his face a bloody mess because of him. Because he hadn't seen the danger, the signs that Ron had clearly been displaying. He had caused this entire situation and now he couldn't even do anything to help his son. His entire life now was spent protecting his children, trying to provide them with safety, yet his boy lied behind him, fighting to stay alive. He couldn't look at him, couldn't turn around and see his son this close to death. He just couldn't do it.

Wiping a hand over his face, he looked through the blinds out the window, seeing the walkers who should have been outside clawing at the door and windows, instead surrounding Anna. The woman was fighting like a demon, two blades glinting in the dark as she kept constantly moving, pushing walkers onto walkers to create distance and slashing and slicing her way through them. Her face was pulled into a snarl and Rick knew no matter how good of a fighter she was, she wouldn't last long on her own.

Even the fiercest fighters could get overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

Feeling the rage flood his very being, the rage at the walkers, the rage at the bad luck that followed him, the rage at Ron, the rage at the hopelessness he felt at the moment, he took his hatchet in one hand, opening the door and, barely hearing Michonne yelling his name, he walked out and closed it behind him. Walking down the porch, his own face twisted into a snarl as he buried the hatchet in a walker's head, before ripping it loose and making his way to Anna.

Killing a walker behind her, he watched as she twisted around, her machete up and at his neck faster than he could blink, but where he should have paused, should have felt fear, he only felt rage. Ignoring the blade near his throat, he kicked a walker away that had been coming up behind Anna and met her gaze, their eyes reflecting each other's.

The next moment her machete slid past his neck, burying itself in the eye of a walker behind him and Rick knows she recognised him as being the same as her and thus an ally. Together, back to back they killed walkers and it wasn't long before Michonne joined them, followed by others.

Rotten blood sprayed across his face, snarls echoed in his ears and he could feel the sweat dripping from his face. His muscles burned as he killed walkers by the dozen, the red filling his vision slowly fading as more and more of Alexandria's residents left the safety of their homes to fight for their home

Rick could feel hope inflating in his chest, gradually dousing his anger and he somehow knew it; they could do this.

Walker after walker he killed, shouting out directions and seeing with new eyes the truth of Deanna's words. These were all his people, no them and us, they were a community and they all fought together for Alexandria. He had been wrong about them and the overwhelming joy and hope had him dizzy. They were slowly being pushed back by the walkers, but Rick had no doubt that  _they_ would be the ones to survive.

That conviction was only solidified as a massive ball of flame went up, the lake burning and causing the walkers to turn away, creating a new chance for the survivors that stoked the flames of their determination.

They could do this.

WD

Daryl stood back as he felt the heat of the fire on his face, the gas making the flames high and hot and completely alluring to the walkers, just as they had intended. He had seen the group of people fighting the dead, but had been too far away to make out faces. Still, the knowledge that there was still people fighting comforted him and he climbed down the truck, placing the RPG in the cab of the truck. Turning, he joined the fight, stabbing one walker after the other, cursing the dead assholes that invaded his home while he wasn't there to protect it.

Abraham and Sasha were to the left of him, while Glenn, Maggie and Enid was to the right of him. Together, they moved towards the other group of survivors and Daryl sighed with relief when he saw Rick, Michonne and Carol, along with various others. His eyes searched for one other person and when he did see her, he immediately relaxed.

Anna was dropping walkers like they were nothing more than pesky flies, her face set in a determined scowl as her deadly movements looked strangely graceful. He fought till he was by her side, but didn't try and grab her attention, as that could mean the difference between life and death; instead he just fought next to her, protecting her as she was protecting everyone else. Time blurred together and Daryl was vaguely aware of her body next to him and Michonne on his other side, as he lost count of the amount of walkers he put down. The back of his shoulder ached from the stab wound, but he easily ignored it, focused as he was on clearing the area of walkers.

What seemed like hours later, Daryl paused as he realised that there was no further walkers, no dead body snarling in front of him or trying to grab and bite him. It was strangely quiet as everyone looked around in a daze, almost not believing that they had done it. The sun was just coming up, lightening their surroundings and the multitude of bodies lining the streets, all unmoving.

He inhaled slowly, feeling coming back to him and he exhaled noisily as exhaustion smacked him in the face. The last two days had been highly stressful and active and all he craved was something to eat and a nice long rest.

Slowly, people started looking around, patting each other on the shoulders, shell shocked but relieved and Daryl watched as Rick strode off to the infirmary. Daryl worried over what that meant, as he hadn't seen Carl during the fight and he knew the kid wasn't one to sit out a fight while everyone else was in the thick of it. Michonne was hurrying after Rick, but it didn't seem as if she was crying, which was a good sign, as he knew she loved Carl just as much as Rick. However, Sasha came up to him before he could follow his brother and touched his arm.

"Daryl, you should get that cut checked out, it might need stitches." Nodding, he turned to go, but paused when he saw Anna. She was apart from the rest, who had all started following Rick to the infirmary and she was pacing, poking corpses and generally observing everything around her like a caged animal. He could see the frantic energy coursing through her, the way she twitched a bit and the way her eyes darted around.

He had only seen her like this once before, when he had tried to stop her from leaving and even then it hadn't been this bad. He remembered her telling him about the zone she goes into, how she sometimes had difficulty distinguishing between friend and foe while in that zone and he knew he had to snap her out of it, before someone else approached her unknowingly.

"Hang on for a bit, I'll come now." He jogged over to Anna, slowing as he came nearer. She turned towards him abruptly, her machete clenched in her hand and her eyes trained on him like a viper, but after a moment, she turned away, continuing her pacing. He knew then that she didn't see him as a threat, but he still needed to get her back in her own mind.

"Anna. Anna, ya hear me?" She glanced at him, before going back to her pacing, her energy becoming more frenetic. Knowing words weren't going to get through to her with her in this state, he stepped forward, grabbing her arm as she passed him. Immediately her other hand came up, her kukri lashing out and he had to jump back quickly in order to avoid her strike.

Her body was low and he cursed when he saw her coming at him again, her other hand, which held a machete, already in position to slash at his belly. He was just glad no one really saw this, or he'd have more trouble on his hands than just her. He dodged the machete, his hand coming down hard and knocking the blade from her hand, immediately twisting to move out of her kukri's path. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her in close and he could see her free hand going to her thigh holster, but she paused as he rested his free hand on her cheek, her gaze almost...confused.

"Come on Anna, the fight is over." He didn't move his hand, just lightly resting it on her cheek as his eyes gazed at hers. It took a while, but he slowly saw her eyes lightening, the mischievous twinkle that was alway present come back and he smiled slightly, really just a subtle twitch of the mouth and she answered it, her lips slowly shaping into a smile. The kukri dropped from her hand and her hand slowly reached out to his face, probably to mirror his actions, but she never got that far.

Instead, Daryl watched in horror as her eyes rolled up in her head and her body collapsed into his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, what did you guys think? In the next chapter, we'll see a bit about how Anamika's actions changed some of the canon verse, though it isn't massive changes yet. I'm not really very good at action scenes, so I hope this came out alright. Lemme know what you all thought!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, next chapter is here, I hope you guys like it, especially after the semi-cliffhanger I left you with. A few different stuff happens in this chapter, so I hope it drags you in and doesn't let go until you've ranted at me over a review;) Thanks for all the kudos and to Leerna for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

"Ah need some help here!"

Daryl ran to an open gurney, barely aware of Denise rushing to him or Michonne standing in the other doorway, Judith cradled in her arms. He gently laid Anna down on the gurney, standing back and anxiously biting the skin around his thumb.

"What happened? She bitten?" Denise asked as she checked Anna's pupils and heartbeat, her movements calm but efficient.

"Ah don't know, she jus' suddenly collapsed." Denise continued checking her, and Daryl was starting to worry that she would find a bitemark, when she peeled away the collar of Anna's shirt and gasped. Daryl stepped forward and his worry skyrocketed when he saw the messy bullet wound on her shoulder.

'When did she get shot?!" Denise cried out, grabbing scissors and cutting the shirt off Anna's body. Daryl didn't even register that she was now lying in just her bra in front of him, he was too worried. He wanted to yell and shout, scream that he just got back and had no idea what happened to her, but Michonne's voice cut through his worry.

"Ron. She was standing in front of Carl when Ron shot him. I hadn't realised the bullet got her too, she just went on like nothing. I thought it missed her and went straight to Carl."

Daryl whirled around at Michonne's words. Carl's been shot? Seeing his panicked gaze, Michonne was quick to assure him Carl was fine now, just unconscious but that Denise was confident he would be fine.

"Well, that explains a lot actually. Carl should have had more damage than he had; if she hadn't slowed the bullet down, he most definitely would have lost his eye, maybe more. As it is now, he's just going to have some wicked scarring from the bullet fragments across the side of his head and the vision in his one eye will always be weaker than the other eye. He's going to have to get used to that, it will be disorientating the first few months, but it's better than losing it completely. Anna's wound is actually not that life-threatening, the problem is that she didn't come to me immediately and now she's in risk of bleeding out." Daryl grunted, trust the woman to not think of herself and almost kill herself.

"Shit." Looking up at the sound of Denise cursing, he was up and next to her in a heartbeat.

"Wha' wrong? Wha' issit?" Daryl's accent thickened as his worry for the woman rocketed up, he didn't want to know what would make Denis curse in an already bad situation.

Denise rubbed her face, before she grabbed rubbing alcohol and some wipes, her movements frantic.

"She's covered in walker blood and it's soaked through to her skin. There is a chance that it seeped into her wound. Look at this, walker blood is mixed in with her own around the bullet wound. I'm going to have to cut the wound open further in order to make sure I can clean it properly, flush out anything that might have made it in there. I could be worried for nothing, but I'd rather not risk it."

Daryl's heartbeat was pounding in his ears as he realised what Denise was saying. If walker blood had gotten into her bloodstream, it'd be the same as her being bitten. He had just found her, after all those months of searching for her and then giving up on her and in the short time he had known her, with all the secrets she had shared with him, he had found a friend in her and he wasn't willing to lose that before he got to explore that friendship.

Growling, he paced back and forth, his eyes glued to her unnaturally still body as Denise cut into her, flushing her wound with alcohol and repeating the process on her back. He could actually see some of the alcohol Denise poured on the front of her wound seep out the exit wound at the back and he hoped that meant it was cleaning any shit that got in there. Luckily, he wasn't seeing a fever yet, but that could change at any moment.

Minutes passed and after Denise had done all she could do for Anna, including hooking her up to an IV and a bag of donated blood, she bandaged her shoulder, wrapping it securely, before rolling her gurney into a private room, away from the hustle and bustle. She came back to stitch up Daryl then, but he didn't even feel it, his mind zoning out as he kept imagining the worst case scenario.

"Where's Anna?!"

He looked up to see Aaron jog into the infirmary, his face worried and his eyes filled with panic. Michonne directed him towards the room Anna was in and he could just barely see him sitting down in a chair next to her, holding her hand. Eric came in soon after and went to stand behind Aaron, a supporting hand on his shoulder, which Aaron grasped and held onto tightly.

He knew the two of them were very close and he was kind of jealous that Aaron could express his concern and care so readily, but he soon shook away those thoughts. There was still a lot of clean-up to do and sitting by her bedside won't change anything.

WD

Rick became aware of a commotion around him. After he had felt Carl's hand grasp his, he had just sat by him, drowning in the relief and love he felt for his son. It had to have been a few hours he sat there at least and he was now realising that there was some commotion in the next room over. Leaning over, he kissed Carl's forehead, his son still sleeping and then made his way next door.

What he saw stopped him in his tracks and he felt his heart sink.

Daryl was pacing like a caged animal, his expression a mixture of anger and heartbreak, while Denise was working feverishly on a woman lying on the bed.

_Anna_ , to be precise.

Rick's mind raced, trying to figure out what was going on. Anna was pale and sweat dripped off her, she almost looked like someone that has been bitten, but that couldn't be, as Denise wouldn't be this frantic if it was something as clear cut as that, if it was something everyone knew was fatal

"Wha…?" Daryl glanced at him, before his eyes turned back to the figure on the bed, but he answered nonetheless.

"She took the bullet for Carl. It hit her before it did him. Didn't have it looked after, started to bleed out. Denise thought some walker blood might have gotten into the open wound." Rick felt his throat close up, his heart breaking all over. If she was sweating like that, having that strong of a fever…

"It isn't for sure that it's a walker infection causing this fever. She's been shot and then fought for hours afterwards, she could just be fighting off a regular infection. We'll know for sure after a day, so let's not get our hopes down just yet."

Rick nodded, swallowing heavily as he tried to calm his heart. He had to believe it was a regular infection and that she would recover. He still had to thank her for what she did, not just saving the community and distracting the walkers, but also, he now realised, for probably saving Carl's life. She was one of them now and he didn't want to say goodbye to family so soon after welcoming her.

He also knew that Carl would be heartbroken, that his son had come to love Anna and regard her as some crazy, but cool aunt that he had never really experienced before. Abraham had just been laughing with her the other day and he had seen the quiet solitude she had shared with Daryl on occasion. She was bringing a change to his family, slowly and gradually, but he could already see the difference in his kids.

Looking at Daryl, he could see the same worry in his brother's eyes and he placed a hand on his shoulder, gripping it firmly as he nodded, looking Daryl in the eyes. The man nodded back and Rick turned to leave, going back to Carl's room. Taking his hand, he sat praying, not only for his son, but for the woman fighting to live next door.

WD

Daryl sat on the chair beside Anna's bed. Aaron had been here almost the entire day, as if guarding her bedside, which would be an accurate description given that she was still fighting off a raging fever; and Daryl had finally come in and sent the man home to Eric, telling him that he would stay with her.

So here he sat, chewing the skin around his thumb and trying to pretend he wasn't worried. It wasn't that he was trying to deny that he cared for her, as he had changed a lot from the man back in Atlanta who didn't care about no one but his brother, but it was easier to pretend she was just taking a nap than to know she could die and turn any minute.

Though they had been busy the week after her arrival, everyone working to prepare for the run, he had found quiet moments to spend with her, finding that he enjoyed her humor and upbeat personality, despite knowing she had had a hard time in the outside world. They hadn't always talked, sometimes she had just kept him company as he cleaned his crossbow, humming some random song or cleaning her weapons. Other times they talked about subjects he can't even recall now and sometimes, though it happened less, they had serious discussions.

He recalled one such time, where he realised just how strong this woman actually was.

" _So you've really been out there on your own since the beginning? No one to watch your back?"_

" _Yep, I thought it would be safer that way, for me and for others." Daryl looked at her oddly, hearing the darker tone to her voice. He wasn't one to pry usually, but he found himself curious why she would say that._

" _Wha' ya mean, for others as well? You'd be safer with no one ta watch ya back, ta rotate watch with?" She flashed him a quick smile, though there was no humour in her eyes._

" _People mean more supplies needed, more attention from the dead and unfriendlies, more people to protect and more chances of getting hurt when they inevitably die." Daryl didn't agree with her, but he also noticed how she avoided his first question._

_He was surprised to realise that he trusted her and wanted to let it go, to not force her to talk, but in the end he couldn't risk Carl or Judith's life if she was dangerous and he could have done something about it. Besides, no matter how comfortable he was in her presence, the fact is that he had only known her for a few days really._

" _What did you mean, safer for others?" She sighed, her shoulders slumping as she gazed into the night sky, her mind seeming far away. He almost thought she wasn't going to answer, when her voice reached his ears, soft as if carried on the wind from afar._

" _I'm dangerous to other people. Yes, I am Daryl." She said with more conviction when she heard him scoff._

" _Everyone's dangerous to someone these days darlin'."_

" _Not the way I am. Daryl…" She sighed, running a hand over her face, before it dropped to her lap and she straightened her shoulders. Her eyes avoided his as she stared straight ahead and her voice was monotone._

" _Remember I told you about the couple I was with in the beginning, my first and only group?" He nodded, remembering her saying they had died and that's why she decided to avoid groups. He had always assumed she had gotten so close to them, that their deaths caused her so much pain, that she wanted to avoid that by avoiding becoming close to anyone else. Now, he wasn't so sure._

" _Well, it wasn't so much that they died that had torn me up, it was the manner in which they died. Daryl…" She breathed in deeply, seeming to try and build up the courage to speak and he patiently waited, letting her get it out in her own time._

" _One day, a herd overran our camp. There had to be at least twenty of them dead fuckers and this couple didn't really know how to fight. I mean, I had started teaching them and they knew the basics, but they were weak and afraid; they froze up when more than three walkers came close. You can imagine their reaction with more than two dozen swarming the camp. I… I lost it. I killed all of them, the entire herd lay slaughtered at my feet, their disgusting blood dripping from my face and clothes. And this couple… They saw for the first time how dangerous I could be, the darkness hiding in me, they saw me zoning out. That night, while I was sleeping, I woke up because I heard something near me and when I looked up, the man was pointing his gun at me. I knew they were afraid of me, terrified actually and they had seen how uncontrollable I am, how I can turn on them in a heartbeat. They were just trying to I… I-I killed them, both of them. I can't even remember doing it, I just remember coming to and being covered in their blood, their murdered bodies on the ground before me…"_

_Daryl looked at her quietly and he could see the shame, the horror on her face. He could also feel the heartbreak she had felt when she realised what she did._

" _Daryl, I brutally killed them, just because they were rightfully afraid and just trying to survive. And the worst is, I didn't even feel that bad about their deaths! Sure, I felt shame and disgust, but more at myself for being capable of doing something like that than the fact that they were dead, that I stole their lives from them. I'm a monster, I kill the weak so that they can't weaken me…"_

_Her breath shuddered as Daryl quietly studied her, seeing no tears in her eyes but knowing she was silently crying out. After a moment, he turned his gaze to the stars, before he spoke, still not looking at her._

" _You're not a monster. You saved them people's lives from the walkers, risking your own in the process and they repay you by a gun to ya face? Naw, you did what you had to do. Their deaths is no ones fault but their own."_

" _But Daryl-"_

" _No Anna. Tell me something, did you ever kill someone in cold blood like that before them, that you can remember?" He saw her hesitantly shake her head from the corner of his eye, her expression confused._

" _And ya didn't join their group with the intention of killing them or stealing their shit?" She shook her head again. Daryl sighed, before he turned to look at her, capturing her gaze with his._

" _Anna, they forced ya hand. Ya don't just go around killing people because ya like it or something; ya kill people who are a threat ta ya or your survival. They were gonna kill you, ya body just protected you from that. I'm glad for it. Anything that had enabled you to get this far, I'm glad for. You're a survivor and a damn good one. And, as far as I'm concerned, you're family. Rick will see that soon, hell, Carl and Judith already see that."_

_Daryl ignored the tremble of her lip and the glossy sheen to her eyes, knowing she was like him and didn't like people seeing her vulnerability. He turned back to the stars, the matter resolved in his mind and it seemed, in hers too, as she didn't say anything further. He knew her insecurities wouldn't just fade overnight, hell, his sure never had, but he sure as hell wasn't going to sit here and watch her self-destruct._

_He had already almost seen it happen to Rick, his sworn brother and he didn't want to see it happen to another person. Everyone these days struggled with thoughts of being a monster, hell, Carol had almost left the group because of such thoughts. But somehow, someway, he got the feeling that his words had soothed some hurt in the woman next to him and he couldn't help but feel a bit satisfied by that._

_A comfortable silence settled between them and Daryl could feel the heat coming off her body next to him as they both enjoyed the cool night air and for the first time in a very long time, he felt utterly comfortable._

_And when she shifted closer, lying her head slightly on his shoulder, he let her even though it made him slightly uncomfortable, because he knew she needed the reassurance._

WD

She was floating, her body weightless in a dark void. Or at least, that's what she felt like, even though she couldn't feel her body and couldn't seem to locate her eyes, mouth, ears, nose or limbs. She knew this was odd, as she was used to fading out in the whiteness, but the darkness was unfamiliar territory.

A steady, burning pain came from where she knew her shoulder should be and she squirmed in discomfort. It felt like someone was poking her with a pen, but since it was more uncomfortable than painful, she ignored it. She wanted to find out where she was, but since she seems to have misplaced her eyes, she could do nothing but float.

After a while, the burning sensation slowly started to climb, becoming more intense and she had to grit her non-existent teeth as the poking pen turned into a jabbing fire poker. She wanted to rip out what was causing the pain, but before she could find a way to do so, the pain upped again and now she was writhing, as her bones felt brittle like glass and seemed like someone was grinding it into her shoulder, burning her alive as they did it. Through the flashes of invisible flames and grinding glass, she could see burned out images, though they didn't make much sense.

There was a woman, running through the mud and rain with a group of men, all of them with their hair cut short and wearing army fatigues. They looked determined even as another person screamed on them, yelling insults and orders. The scene changed before she could make more sense of it. It was the same woman, alone in a room now, before a elder man who stood straight and confident walked in. He threw a file down in front of her, speaking though she couldn't make out his words. The scene changed again, to the woman limping through a corridor, chaos surrounding her, yet it all seemed to pass her by, her expression dazed, yet her body moved with determination.

It was only when this woman got outside and away from the chaos, killing a walker and taking its gear, that she realised that woman was her.

And Anamika came crashing back into consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo? What did you guys think? This is an important chapter, a lot of what finally makes her a concrete part of team family happens in this chapter. We get a glimpse into her and Daryl's relationship, though fear not, the next few chapter are Daryl/Anna-centric and we see the first difference her presence caused in the canon timeline. Let me know what you guys thought! I would love to discuss why I changed Carl's injury with you *wink wink*


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, back with my second longest chapter yet, so I hope you all enjoy it! Lots of Daryl in this one, I hope for a few reviews as a reward for giving you guys Daryl;) Plus, I'm feeling low as my friend left the country and I'll only see her in a year and a half again, so could use some love haha! Thanks for all the kudos and to Rubber_Souls and Leerna for commenting.
> 
> Enjoy!

Chapter 16

She slowly became aware of noise around her. Not loud noises or bad noises, but noise nonetheless, as everything had been soundless where she'd been before. Then she started to feel her body. She didn't think she could move it, not even an inch since it felt that heavy, but she could feel where her arms laid at her sides and her head rested on a pillow. Next came her taste, the fuzzy taste of sickness on her tongue causing her face to grimace and it was as if that grimace unlocked her body, as her fingers twitched after.

That twitch caused the noise around her to spike for a bit and she could hear voices and footsteps around her bed. Inhaling and exhaling steadily, she tried to force her eyelids open, despite feeling as if a cement block was glued to them. Light filtered through her lashes slowly as her mind became less fuzzy and she blinked, hoping to speed up the process. Though she had, strangely, a feeling that she was safe, she still didn't like being vulnerable and not knowing what was going on around her.

When she finally managed to peek through her lashes, the first person she saw was Daryl, standing besides her bed with his eyes trained on her like a hawk. Aaron stepped forward next, peering around Daryl's bulk and smiling when he saw her eyes open. Denise was fiddling with her shoulder and Anamika would have shrugged her off, but her body still wasn't cooperating to that degree. Damnit, she felt like a newborn, unable to move and she had no idea why!

"Wha-" She cleared her throat, accepting the straw Denise held to her lips and draining almost the entire glass of water, before she tried again, "What happened? Why do I feel so fucking weak?"

Aaron laughed, his face relieved at her annoyed tone, while Daryl scoffed.

"Ya about killed yourself that's what." She furrowed her brows, but Denise spoke up before she could muddle through her memories.

"You were shot when you tried to protect Carl. Only you continued fighting with a bleeding wound and collapsed from blood loss. You also had a fever for the last two days and we were worried that your wound got infected with walker blood, but the fever finally broke early this morning, so it was just a regular infection luckily."

Anamika couldn't even think about the fact that she had come so close to death, either by bleeding out or being infected by the walkers. Her mind was stuck on the memory of Carl getting shot, of her inability to save him and she felt her heart clench.

"C-Carl? Is he alright? Is he alive?" She felt her breath hitch when Denise hesitated, but before she could fly into a full-blown panic attack, Daryl leaned down to place his hand on hers, the look in his eyes serious.

"The kid's fine, your actions saved his life." She blinked, taking a while to process that, but when she did, her eyes filled with tears, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back.

"Th-thank god, thank god, I thought he was dead. I thought he was dead."

"No, you saved his life." She looked up at the new voice, seeing Rick standing in the doorway, his own eyes red and bloodshot. He walked forward, taking her hand and kneeling as he brought it to his face, pressing it against his forehead.

"Thank you. T-Thank you so much. Thank you." She bit her lip, not wanting to break down like she was threatening to, as the sight of Rick, who was always so strong and hard, almost broken, on his knees in front of her was too much. She didn't know what to say, so she stayed quiet, instead gripping his hand tightly.

"You really scared me." She turned her gaze to Aaron, giving Rick the chance to compose himself quietly.

"Sorry. To be honest… I hadn't even realised I had been shot. I mean, sure, I felt the pain, but it kind of faded into the background with everything that happened after." Aaron nodded and she smiled at him, kind of sheepishly.

Rick soon left to go back to Carl's bedside, who had apparently woken up a day before her and Denise followed, after having threatened her that if she so much as moved an inch off that bed, she'll get Daryl to tie her to it. Aaron followed Denise, laughing at Anamika's disgruntled expression and soon it was just her and Daryl left. She glared at him petulantly, her bottom lip jutting out.

"You really gonna tie me to the bed if I try and leave?"

"Ya better believe it. Don't need to be getting up from that bed anytime soon." Her face split into a mischievous grin and she grinned wider as Daryl shifted uncomfortably at the look on her face, obviously suspicious of her sudden turn in mood.

"Oooh, is that a promise? Kinky, I like it." She winked at him and threw her head back as she laughed at his scoff, the subtle blush on his cheeks causing amusement to fill her. When her laughter finally petered out and she looked at him again, the amusement left her at the serious look in his eyes.

"Is Carl… Is he really alright? He was injured on his face right? I… I remember so much b-blood..." Daryl nodded, his body still as he looked at the ground.

"Yeah, kid's got some pretty serious scars on the right side of his face, from some of the bullet shards hitting him and his vision in that eye is a bit off. But he'll live and as soon as he gets used to the difference in his vision, he'll be good. Kid's strong, a survivor." Anamika nodded, her teeth worrying her lip and still blaming herself for not stopping the bullet completely.

"Anna, you stepping in front of him saved him. Denise says he could have died if it was a direct hit, or at the very least lost his eye. Ya did good Anna."

"Anamika."

"What?" Anamika swallowed, not sure why she gave him her real name, but the urge to hear him say it just suddenly filled her. No one's ever said her name, not that she can remember, as she always gave them the shortened version, as it's more common and doesn't stand out as much. If Daryl was the first person to call her by her name, she would be alright with that.

"My full name… It's Anamika."

"Anamika..."

Anamika shivered as Daryl said her name slowly, his lips rolling it as he tested it out. When his eyes met hers again, there was a glint in them that caused her breath to hitch, before it was gone and his eyes returned to their usual squint.

"It fits you." She smiled shyly, fiddling with the bed covers and unsure what to say. When Daryl shifted and looked as if he was going to leave, her eyes jumped up and she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"I had a flashback!" The redneck paused, before he turned towards her more fully and the intensity in his gaze had her swallowing. She didn't even have time to consider keeping that tidbit to herself, as she wasn't sure if that's exactly what it was or what it meant, but she didn't want the hunter to leave for some reason, so she soldiered on.

"At least, it felt like a flashback, like I was seeing some memories. It doesn't feel like I did it or lived it, more like I saw it in a movie or something. But… But I think I was in the military. I saw myself training with some people in army fatigues and talking to government officials. I can't remember a lot of it, but- but that's the vibe I'm getting."

Daryl nodded, staying quiet and Anamika shifted, not knowing what to say, but luckily he spoke up before she could blurt something else out.

"Tha'd explain some things, like how you're so good at fighting and surviving. You've been trained in this shit." She nodded, feeling proud at the impressed look in his eyes. It confused her how she continued to seek this man's approval and praise, especially as he wasn't prone to handing it out, or perhaps it was  _because_  he gave it so sparingly that she craved it. It felt like Daryl could understand her on a level no one else could, as if he could see into her soul.

Rick was more like the other side of the same coin, while Daryl was like a penny that had evolved into a dollar bill and she, still being a penny, looked up to him. Anamika snorted, shaking her head to get rid of her ridiculous thoughts and silently blamed Denise for obviously getting her medication dose wrong.

They continued to talk for a while, Daryl telling her about how the cleanup was going and how they had set up temporary walls and around the hour guards until the wall could be rebuilt properly. He also told her of Deanna's plans that Rick and Michonne were implementing, on how they were expanding out and making place for crops and such. They talked until it became early evening and then Daryl had to leave, since there was a lot left to do.

She twiddled her thumbs for a few minutes, before she thought screw it and slowly sat up, swinging her legs over to the side of the bed. Despite feeling a bit dizzy, her body felt a lot better and she knew if it wasn't for the wound getting an infection, she would have been up and at it a long time ago. Ignoring Denise's threat ringing through her mind, she shuffled her alarmingly weak body to the room next door, peeking through the doorway to see Carl sleeping on the bed.

Shuffling in, she made her way to the bed, sitting on the edge as her hand reached out, brushing Carl's bangs away and trailing her fingers over his bandage. When a hand enveloped hers, she looked down to see Carl looking at her, now awake.

"Hey." She whispered.

"Hey." She pulled her hand back, resting them in her lap as she stared at the teen.

"You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. This isn't my first rodeo with a shattered bullet." He grinned cheekily, startling a laugh out of her and she listened intently as he told her about how he was shot before in the abdomen near the beginning of the apocalypse and how the bullet had went through a buck that first time. He grinned at her laughter and chuckled when a yawn escaped from her.

"I think you need some more rest. Dad said that you had a pretty bad infection."

"Yeah, I'd go back to my room to sleep some, but my head is too dizzy to stand." She watched as Carl shuffled over, making space for her besides him and she laid down without hesitation, too tired to care. She wiggled around, making herself comfortable and soon she drifted off to sleep, Carl's deep breaths lulling her under.

WD

Anamika walked outside, enjoying the sun shining on her face and the breeze in her hair. OK, she was maybe lying a bit to herself, as it was hot as fuck out here and no breeze to speak of, but anything felt amazing after being cooped up in the infirmary.

When she had woken yesterday morning, it was to hear Denise ranting at her for getting out of her bed and Rick standing in the doorway with that funny smile on his face that she knew meant he was practically rolling on the ground laughing at her, the traitor. She had flipped him the finger, only for Denise to misunderstand and go on an even longer rant and then the asshole had the nerve to chuckle,  _chuckle_ , at her predicament!

After being properly chastised and saying she was sorry about a thousand times, Denise had huffed and walked away and Anamika had turned to Carl, the other traitor, who was still pretending to be asleep. Poking him in the side, she watched as his mouth twitched and then break into laughter when her fingers found the ticklish spot on his side. After sufficiently punishing him for not helping her against hurricane Denise, her heart and mind now considerably lighter at his laughter, she had retreated to her own room, feeling much better than she had yesterday. Aaron had come in soon after to keep her company and Carol had come by after with Judith, causing Anamika to spend a good two hours entertaining the small girl whilst Carol ran some errands.

Now, the day after, Denise had finally loosened her clutches and Anamika was a free woman again. After teasing Carl about his extended stay in the infirmary, she had left, a bounce in her step despite the sweat already clinging to her tank top. Taking a shower had been the first thing on her list and when that was done and she was decked out in clean clothes, she wandered around the community, talking with people and seeing how the rebuilding was going. Seeing Glenn and Maggie standing close together, she smiled, happy that the couple was reunited even if she didn't talk to them as often as she does Carl or Daryl.

It was as she was wandering aimlessly, that Abraham had called out to her, "Hey Bolo!"

Anamika tensed up, the nickname stirring anger in her, though she wasn't entirely sure why. She turned, her glare burning through Abraham while her hand twitched towards her knife. She relaxed slightly as he held his hands up at her hostile demeanour, though irritation still filled her, especially as he still had that shit-eating grin on his face.

"Now now, Wildcat, just testing a theory of mine. You were in the military correct?"

Her eyes narrowed and she gritted her teeth; she doubted Daryl would have told anyone, so that begs the question on how the redhead came to that conclusion. She had only just remembered that herself and was a bit suspicious on how this stranger knew it. "What gives you that idea?"

Abraham grinned, placing his hands on his hips as he easily replied, "The way you carry yourself. I'm a military man myself and can recognize a comrade a mile away. Besides, anyone that wasn't in the military would have thought I was just referring to your machete with that nickname, not gotten all defensive about it."

Her eyebrows furrowed, but she nodded, knowing the term he had called her by was a military slang insult now that he mentioned it. She felt she'd probably been called it before, but decided not to pursue the thought further, as it was unimportant.

"Yeah, I might've been in the military. My memory is honestly a bit foggy because of an injury just before all if this happened," she fibbed, not wanting everyone to know her business, "so I can't tell you more than that really."

Abraham nodded, seeming satisfied with the knowledge that she had been part of the military at some point and he patted her on the shoulder as he walked past.

"Always pleased to meet a fellow comrade, especially one that fights like a wildcat." Anamika blushed as she watched him walk away, unsure what to make of the encounter, but finally decided not to break her head over it and continued on her way.

She finally saw Daryl in the distance, cleaning his gun with his pinky sticking out in that habit of his she had noticed early on. His face was focused and she couldn't help but feel a pang at the sight of him without his crossbow. He had told her about the people in the burning forest, though he hadn't gone into details and though he told her about some biker gang they had blown up, he hadn't mentioned names and she didn't ask, figuring it didn't really matter what their names were.

As she walked closer, his eyes found hers and she nodded, leaning her hip against the stair railings. She watched as he finished cleaning his gun and put it back together, before sliding it into the back of his pants. When he met her eyes again, she decided to speak up, "I was thinking of going hunting. I've been cooped up inside for almost two weeks and as much as I appreciate everything you guys did for me, I need to get out for a bit. Wanted to ask if you wanna come hunting with me? I've got my rifle."

She looked at him hopefully, wanting to spend some time with him, though she refused to consider why. When he nodded after a slight hesitation, she grinned widely and bounced to the pavement. "Great, let's get going then!"

Daryl scoffed at her enthusiasm, his deep rich voice sending shivers down her back which she determinedly ignored and started walking towards the gates, excited to get out for a bit.

WD

"Rick, we're goin' hunting!" Daryl watched as Rick held up a hand in acknowledgement and followed Anamika out the gates. His gaze kept being drawn to her ass, clad in form-fitting black jeans that was stained with dirt and blood in some places. He shouldn't find it attractive, but he did. However, he determinedly ignored his attraction, not thinking that anything would come out of it and years of keeping women at arm's length when it came to romance came back into play now. He wouldn't know how to make a move even if he wanted to, so he just ignored the feelings stirring in him.

He followed her into the woods, impressed with how quiet she was and her concentration. Lots of people had to learn how to hunt after the apocalypse, but the way she walked, it seemed like she knew before that. It would make sense, as she as trained by the military, probably some stealth training as well, but he knew better than most that doesn't alway mean they are good hunters. This would be a good opportunity to see exactly how good she was at hunting, as he knew she could evade easily enough, grumpily remembering those three months he searched for her.

He kept an eye out for walkers and tracks, but was mostly content to let her do the leading. It wasn't long before she paused, her body tense as she held a hand up. He crouched behind her, seeing the gang of turkeys ahead. He brought his own rifle around and glanced at her, seeing her nodding at him and flicking her finger to the right. Nodding, he aimed at one of the larger turkeys to the right, while she aimed at one on the left.

Focusing, he kept half a eye on her three fingers held up away from the barrel of her rifle, inhaling as she let them drop one by one. When the last one touched the barrel, he exhaled and fired simultaneously with her, the two of them dropping two turkeys. Taking aim again within the second, he managed to drop another one before the rest flied away in panic and was pleased to see she had also managed to do so. Thanks to the silencers she had brought with her when arriving in Alexandria, they also didn't have to worry about walkers hearing their shots and descending down on them by the herds.

"Nice, people back home is gonna love this." Anamika nodded along with his observation and he found himself once again startled by her radiant smile. Narrowing his eyes, he looked away and walked forwards, throwing two of the turkeys into the large bag tied at his waist. Waiting till Anamika did the same, they set off, hoping to get more from this hunting trip. He crouched near the ground, seeing the path smaller wildlife took through the brush and followed the subtle signs to what he hoped would be a rabbit's burrow.

"Say Daryl, what did you do before this? You're too good at this to only have started when the apocalypse did." He glanced up at his companion, seeing the curiosity in her eyes and slightly amused that she had been analyzing his skills the same way he had been observing hers. For a moment, he considered not answering her, uncomfortable with talking about who he was before. However, he felt he owed her after she had shared so much of her own story with him.

"I learnt ta hunt from my uncle when I was a kid. My dad wasn't around a lot and when he was… well, let's just say I preferred being off in the woods on my own. We didn't have a lot, so after my uncle showed me how ta hunt, I'd hunt every week for food, and when my brother came back from juvie or a bender or whatever the hell he was doing at the time, we'd go huntin' together."

His companion was quiet, her intense blue eyes trained on him as he talked and though he felt self-conscious, he also felt that she wouldn't judge him or care about his past, so he continued, telling her stuff he hadn't told anyone but Beth, "Fact is, I was a nameless nobody back then. The Dixon name was so worthless it might as well had been trash and I didn't do nothin' except follow my brother around, getting into shit and fucking things up."

He kept his gaze forwards, not sure what he would see if he looked around, but her hand on his arm caused him to pause in his tracks as she turned his body to her. Her hand lifted and she placed it gently against his cheek, barely touching him as she met his gaze. It should have felt uncomfortable, but instead he found himself leaning into her touch slightly.

"Well, luckily our pasts don't matter, it's who we are now that does. And I think you managed to give the Dixon name a good reputation now, that of a loyal man who'd do his damndest to protect his family. Who'd kill for those he cares about in a heartbeat, the type of man you want by your side." He inhaled sharpy, not able to tear his eyes from hers as he saw the truth glittering there and he felt an unfamiliar emotion bubble up in his chest. Clearing his throat, he turned his gaze to the ground and felt both relieved and disappointed when she stepped back from him.

"Come on, I think I see a house up ahead." The house she saw was more like a cottage than a house, but they decided to check it out anyway, as you never know what could be a goldmine. Sneaking up the porch, Daryl took note of the way the wood creaked under their feet, but it wasn't so bad that he would abandon the house. Having his knife ready as Anamika knocked on the door, they waited, both nodding to the other when they heard a thud on the door and groaning. It sounded like there was more than one, but not more than five, at the very most. Daryl held up three fingers, silently counting down to when Anamika should open the door.

_Three_

_Two_

_One_

She pushed the door open, using enough force to fling the walkers behind it to the ground and Daryl was immediately there, stabbing the one nearest to him in the head before backing away. Luckily, there were only three more and Anamika stepped forward, bending to stab the other one on the ground while Daryl killed the last one over her head by throwing his knife into its skull. Quickly, they both entered, Daryl checking out the main room while Anamika checked out the doorway to the left, which turned out to be the kitchen area. The cottage had only three rooms, the main communal area, the kitchen and the bedroom. Daryl could see a outhouse through the window and had no desire to check there.

Hearing Anamika rifle around in the kitchen, he left the main room, which held nothing of interest, and headed towards her, finding her looking through dusty cupboards. On the table stood a single can of beans and an unopened bottle of Southern Comfort, which Daryl gave a longing glance to, but ignored, as no one needed to get drunk in these times. The slam of the cupboard door had him jumping and he turned to see Anamika scowling, her hands on her hips.

"There's nothing here. I'm gonna go check the bedroom. I peeked in and didn't see anything of interest, but I'm just gonna check more thoroughly." Daryl nodded, looking through the window to make sure they hadn't attracted any unwanted attention, when in the next moment, he heard a shout, the sound of wood creaking, buckling and splintering reached his ears, followed by an almighty crash. Heart pounding in his ears, he ran to the bedroom, calling Anamika's name, "Anamika!"

Sliding to a stop just inside the doorway, Daryl felt his heart lodge in his throat at the good sized hole in the floor and knew he should have been more vigilant and warned her about the wood maybe being rotted. To be honest, he hadn't expected a hole to be under the house, as it was a single story house with no basement door as far as he could see, but for now the main priority was seeing if Anamika was alright, as he still hadn't heard from her.

"Anamika!"

Silence...

" _Anamika!"_ A cough rang out and Daryl heaved a sigh of relief, closing his eyes for a second, before he bent low and inched forward slowly, keeping an ear out to make sure the floor doesn't rot away beneath him. Peering over the edge, he saw Anamika lying spread eagle, her arms over her face as she coughed and gasped for breath, a walker lying dead off to the side.

"Hey, ya ok?"

"Y-yeah. Stupid closet walker surprised me and the floor couldn't hold our weight." Daryl shook his head, amazed at the situations she got into and tried to peer around, trying to see where she fell into. It appeared to be a cellar, shelves covered in dust and dirt and packed with boxes. He hadn't seen a door leading to the cellar, but it could always be on the outside of the house opposite the way they had approached it.

"Hang on, I'm gonna see if I can find a door."

"Yeah, no worries, I'm not going anywhere, kinda knocked the breath right outta me."

Retreating from the room, Daryl quickly exited the house, walking the outside perimeter until he came to the cellar doors. They were padlocked shut with a thick chain, but luckily it seemed the wood of the doors had also started rotting and he was easily able to kick them apart. Throwing the broken pieces of the doors behind him, he quickly descended the stone steps, clicking his flashlight on as he entered the cellar. It was bigger than it looked and he had to follow the light the hole in the floor created to find Anamika. She was sitting up by the time he reached her and he crouched down besides her, his hand on her cheek as he checked to make sure she seemed coherent and had no bad injuries.

"Ya good?"

"Daryl, I'm fine. A bit winded, but seriously, don't worry about me." He grunted, before moving away and checking the boxes that stood untouched on the shelves. He was elated to find canned goods and dried products and knew they had hit the jackpot.

"Hey, these boxes are filled with food and stuff, 'nough to last us another month if we ration. We ain't far from Alexandria, bout two miles, let's head back and get some people and cars to get these stuff back home."

The blue-eyed woman grinned, nodding as she gingerly stood up and followed him out of the cellar that had really turned out to be a goldmine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I hope you all enjoyed the Daryl/Anna-centric chapter, let me know what you thought of their interaction and thoughts, I always worry that I make them sound too mushy, when that's not really who they are, at least not verbally.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the late update! I have to say, I was kind of sad that not a lot of people seemed to enjoy the Daryl/Anamika chapter, but oh well. That's not to say I'm going to let that do me in and so the next few chapters are all Daryl/Anamika chapters, not based on canon. Hope you guys enjoy the development of their relationship! Thanks for all the kudos and to Rubber_Souls for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

"Hey Daryl?"

The hunter grunted as he carefully stalked through the foliage and Anamika briefly admired the way his arms flexed as he maneuvered his crossbow through the leaves and branches. She shook her head, ignoring the attraction she felt towards the redneck and continued on her previous line of thought.

"I know about a warehouse nearby that I've been wanting to check out since I arrived in the area and wanted to know if you'd come with me. We can show Rick and the others where the cabin is and then go check out if the warehouse is a viable option for a run. Then, tomorrow morning we can do a proper run, We need some new clothes and medicine, so hopefully we can find some more of those stuff for everyone."

Daryl had stopped walking as her babbling got worse and she finally saw the vaguely bemused expression he wore and her mouth snapped shut. He seemed to be considering it and finally, he nodded.

"Sure. Let's go get Rick, we're almost at Alexandria. We'll go in a separate car, then Rick can take some people and a van to pick up the stuff we found. After we showed them where it is, we'll go with my bike to check out that warehouse."

Anamika nodded and the two walked for another 30 minutes before the familiar walls of Alexandria loomed up before them. Waving to Spencer who was on guard, Daryl and Anamika made their way in, heading straight for where they saw Rick talking to Maggie and Glenn, probably about Maggie's pregnancy, since Glenn had that proud glow and Maggie kept throwing soft glanced towards her still flat tummy.

"Rick!"

Their fearless leader turned at Daryl's shout and waited patiently for them to reach him. Daryl wasted no time in explaining the treasure trove they found and Anamika could see the hopeful and pleased gleam in Rick's eyes. However, it was Glenn who spoke up first.

"Rick, I can come along. I know where they keep a van for runs that usually take more than a week, should be more than enough space for everything. Tara is still recovering, and Abraham is working on the construction of the wall, but Carol could probably come, as well as Rosita?"

Rick nodded at Glenn's suggestion, then turned back to Daryl, "We'll meet you guys by the gate in half n hour, we should still have enough time to get there and back before dark, if it's as close as you say."

With that, Rick headed off to prepare, as Glenn headed in the opposite direction to go recruit the people he mentioned. Daryl stalked off, probably to give the turkeys they had caught to Olivia and that left Anamika and Maggie alone together. Pointing awkwardly at her flat belly, Anamika smiled.

"How's it going with the little peanut? Nothing weird so far? All the fighting didn't cause any harm right?"

"No, nothing so far. I mean, I've never been pregnant before, so I'm going off on what I saw when Rick's wife was pregnant and what my dad taught me before, but it all seems good so far."

Anamika nodded, relieved nothing seems amiss, then mused out loud, "I should keep an eye out for prenatal vitamins and such. We still have a few from my stash in my truck, but it wasn't really something I searched for actively."

"That would be great. Any help I can get to make sure my baby gets everything they need is appreciated."

"Of course, little peanut will grow up strong and healthy and with the coolest parents ever and the most kickass aunt!" Maggie laughed, her eyes shining with pride and amusement as she thought about her baby growing up. Anamika felt weirdly happy that she managed to make the woman laugh, as she seemed so serious all the time, not necessarily glum, but focused on rebuilding and as if she was still recovering from a loss. Then again, if the stories Carl told her were true, which she knew them to be, Maggie had lost her father and sister in the span of six months, a blow one cannot simply shake off.

"How's the expansion going? It seems as if the walls are coming along nicely." Maggie nodded, a proud glint in her eyes as she surveyed the new walls being built in the distance.

"Yes, should take us another week and a half at this pace, then we can start planting. Grow our own food so we can get some fresh fruits and vegetables," Anamika made a mental note to be on the lookout for any types of seeds, "and we're also starting to cut down some of the surrounding trees. Rick told us about your suggestions and we're going to implement them. We need to find some barbed wire and then as soon as we have everything wrapped again, we can start digging the holes."

Anamika nodded, her brow furrowed, "Yes, the wire didn't keep the wolves out, but then again, we didn't wrap it that thickly. Daryl and I am going to go check out a warehouse I know off, I'll keep an eye out for some more barbed wire."

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Anamika nodded and then bid Maggie goodbye as she saw Daryl coming down the street, a bag slung across his back. Probably filled with supplies in case anything went wrong and they had to hole up somewhere for the night.

"Carol gave you a care package?" Anamika lifted one eyebrow and laughed at Daryl's snort, though he didn't deny her knowing question. "The warehouse is about ten miles away from the cabin, so we should have enough time to at least check it out and then still be back before dark."

Daryl nodded, and threw his bag into the car they were using. It would have been a lot more convenient if they still had Daryl's bike, but it had been taken along with his crossbow by some asshole couple he had met when heading back to Alexandria. Anamika hoped for just five minutes alone with them, she would savour those minutes and get Daryl's stuff back for him. Alas, she didn't know where they were and Daryl already spoke to Rick about everything, so she didn't ask further. She reckoned they'd tell her if it was important.

Soon they were on the road and though it took a while to actually find the beaten, overgrown dirt road leading to the cabin, they managed. As soon as they were sure Rick and Glenn had everything in hand, they said their farewells and headed off to the warehouse Anamika knew about. It took them roughly half an hour to get there, having to turn around and take backroads a few times due to the other roads being blocked.

When they finally made it, they both surveyed the abandoned parking lot, the wind blowing leaves around lightly and less than half a dozen walkers wandering around aimlessly. Nodding, they climbed out of the car and, wanting to save their ammo, used their machete and knife to get rid of the walkers. When Anamika had buried her machete in the last walker's head, she turned to find Daryl watching her, his gaze intent and she felt her belly heating up, like a low burning ember. Swallowing, she watched as he blinked and looked away, though she could swear she saw a slight red tinge to his cheeks. Or it could just be wishful thinking.

Shaking her head, she focused her thoughts and followed Daryl to a side door, both waiting silently after he had banged three times on the door upon finding it locked. Hearing nothing, she stepped back and watched as he kicked the door hard two times, before it burst open on the third kick. Her gun was up and her body alert, ready for anything that might come out of the darkness of the doorway or around the corner of the building, but it remained quiet.

Daryl gestured with his head for them to advance in, and she nodded, following the lethal hunter into the depths of the warehouse. After they had bypassed the offices, they reached the main room and though it was impressive, it was nothing like the one she had set fire to. Still, she could see a few rolls of barbed wire stacked against the wall on the far side of the room and several boxes on the derelick shelves.

Opening one of the boxes, she found some clothes, though her face fell in a grimace when she saw the moth balls on them. Some of the clothes were falling apart, having been some moth's nest, but she was sure there would be some useable ones. Daryl grunted as he threw a small plastic pack to her and she rolled her eyes when she saw it was instant ramen. She had to eat these before and had to admit it's not her favorite thing in the world.

They looked around for another forty minutes, then agreed to come back the next day with the van. Though there wasn't much in the way of food except for the instant ramen, they could still use some of the clothes, the wire and some over the counter medicine they found.

"Come on, gonna be dark soon. Don't wanna get caught with our asses hanging out." Anamika snorted, following Daryl to the side door, but her sarcastic retort was stopped by the sound of Daryl swearing. She just had enough time to see the small herd of walkers outside in the parking lot, before Daryl had the door closed quietly to avoid calling the walkers' attention.

Her mouth twisted and she said dryly, "Well, that's us getting caught with our asses out."

WD

Luckily, Daryl had the forethought to bring Carol's care package with inside, so they decided to try and wait the herd out, since they didn't seem to be aware of the two ready made meals waiting in the warehouse for them. Digging through a few of the boxes, Anamika scrounged up one usable blanket, though it wasn't that thick and she knew it could get cold at night, especially in a warehouse that isn't properly insulated.

"Looks like we're sharing."

"Naw, I'll be fine, you use it."

"Daryl, don't be ridiculous, this blanket is more than big enough for the both of us and we could use the body warmth. Stop being a baby about it."

"I ain't no baby!" Anamika just smirked at his indignant growl, raising one eyebrow and smiling widely when Daryl sighed and turned away. She knew that meant she had won. Sitting down by the lantern Daryl had fished out from the backpack, she gladly accepted the tupperware filled with some of Carol's cooking, marveling at the homemade meal instead of something like instant ramen.

"You know, I never even thought food could taste this good." Daryl eyed her askance and Anamika, seeing the disbelief in his eyes, went on to explain.

"Since the apocalypse started, I've eaten whatever I could get my hands on. That usually meant canned good or ramen and the occasional fruit of vegetable if I could find them growing somewhere. I have no memory of home cooked meals. I have the images of what various dishes look like in my mind, but I couldn't smell them, couldn't taste them."

Daryl was silent and Anamika was lost in her thoughts, of a past she couldn't remember. She startled though, when Daryl's low voice spoke up from beside her.

"I know what ya mean. I mean, maybe not to your extent, but my ma wasn't really the cooking type. Figured it had to do with recovering from the beatings my pa always gave her and drowning her thoughts in alcohol. So I know junk food and shit, but… It was only after this all started that I experienced that."

Anamika could tell he was embarrassed about what he was revealing, not just about the food but about his homelife and she felt lit up with a confusing warmth inside that he trusted her enough to share that. Scooting closer, she tucked the blanket around them both, ignoring Daryl's uncomfortable shift, as she herself had to slowly relax her tensed body.

"I sometimes wish I could remember my past life. Remember any friends or family I might have had, but then I think about the pain of not knowing if they were live or dead and think it might be better that I can't remember…"

Daryl was quiet, his breathing slow beside her, before he spoke up. "I had an older brother. His name was Merle and he was pretty shitty. A racist, sexist asshole who always mucked everything up. Got separated from him in the beginning, only to meet him again later. There was some trouble, as he worked for this douche called the Governor at the time."

Anamika remembered Carl telling her about the Governor and though he had mentioned Merle, she didn't hear much about his relationship with Daryl.

"My brother was a dick, but he was my brother you know. He tried to look after me when I was a kid, but he was always in juvie or something and he left soon as he turned eighteen, left me alone with my pa. But in the end… In the end he sacrificed himself, tried to take down the governor, took out most of his trained men. Without that, we probably wouldn't have fared so well in our scare tactics when we chased them away, as it was mostly normal people left."

Anamika regarded his face closely, seeing the sorrow in his expression and the rigid line of his jaw. Reaching out, she softly cupped his cheek, turning his face to hers with gentle pressure. His blue eyes met hers and the depth of emotion in them knocked her breath away. Daryl might not always say a lot, but he didn't need to, as he said everything with his eyes.

"He was trying to protect you. He wanted to make everything right. Sound to me, like that was his apology." Daryl blinked slowly, his eyes gazing to the side, unable to meet hers and she smiled, releasing his cheek and sitting back.

"I would have liked to meet him, even if he was a racist, sexist asshole." Daryl barked out a short laugh, the low smooth sound sending a thrill down Anamika's spine.

"He would have loved you. Would have flirted and tried ta get into ya pants, but also respected you for your skills. I think you would have gotten along well."

"Well, I like his brother so far, so I'm sure he couldn't have been that bad."

"Stop." Anamika delighted in the definite blush on daryl's cheeks, determinedly ignored the warmth in her own at the sight of Daryl peeking at her through his fringe, his lips twisted in a barely-there smile.

Exhaling slowly, she leaned her head against his shoulder and felt him relax inexplicably, but she didn't bother to think about it now. She had a long day and her body was still hurt from her earlier fall. Closing her eyes, she felt sleep pull at her and the last thing she was aware of, was Daryl's muscular arm slowly lowering her to the ground, all the while keeping her close to his body.

WD

The next morning, they both woke up at the crack of dawn to find that all but a few of the walkers had moved on, much to their relief. The made quick work of the ones that were still there, before heading straight to Alexandria, knowing Rick and them would be worried if they stayed away much longer. Arriving back, the gates were immediately opened after Anamika hung out the car window like a madman as they drove up, waving cheerily at the guard on duty.

Rick was there to greet them, his smile relieved as he placed a hand on their shoulders and squeezed it in relief. "Had some trouble?"

"Naw, not much." Anamika left Daryl to explain the situation, because she had seen someone else coming closer. That familiar sheriff's hat glinted in the sun and though half his face was still covered in gauze to keep the scars clean, she would recognize that lanky teenage body and long luscious locks anywhere. Honestly, he could compete with Daryl with that hair.

"Carl!"

"Anna!" She grinned widely as she gave the teen a hug, a great weight off her shoulders at the sight of him up and about and she promptly stole his hat and ruffled said luscious locks. Carl rolled his eyes, but his smile belied his amusement.

"How's the war injury?"

"Good, Denise said it should be fine to take off the gauze in about a week, before then I have to change it every day."

"Well, I've got something for you. Snagged it from the warehouse." Anamika produced a tub of silicone gel from her jacket pocket and held it out to Carl.

"Scars are cool, shows you're a survivor, but that should help keep your scar clean and minimise the scarring at the very least. Maybe put it on and then place the gauze over it. Although, maybe you should just check with Denise first."

Carl smiled and nodded, before stealing his hat back and waving as he retreated to the infirmary, Anamika's threats getting lost in the face of his laughter. Anamika was still smiling when she turned to find Rick gazing after his son, though his grateful eyes soon turned to her. She shifted, uncomfortable with the gratitude he expressed, but luckily Daryl intervened and broke Rick's silent thank you.

"Alright then, Anna, Rick and Glenn are coming with, we're gonna go clear that warehouse." Anamika sighed and then nodded, knowing they had another long day ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, there you go, it's kinda a filler chapter to get some bonding between Anamika and Daryl, it's going to happen for the next few chapters to get everything rolling. Please review, I feel so excited about Daryl/Anamika interaction and the feel like the only fangirl in the chatroom hahaha.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, here's to hoping you guys enjoy it! It's one of those filler chapters that focus on development, so is it really a filler chapter then? Anyways, thanks for the kudos and to Leerna for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika pursed her lips as she regarded the general goods store in front of her. Carl was next to her, his breathing quiet as his eyes stayed alert. Daryl had gone off to hunt today and Anamika had declined going with, a shocking decision considering she had been spending every spare second with Daryl the last two weeks.

However, Carl had asked her the day before if she could go on a run with him, as his father had agreed as long as either Anamika, Michonne or Daryl accompanied him. Rick was reluctant, but understood that Carl was smart and strong and he could't hover over his shoulder every moment, especially now that Carl was mostly recovered from his injury.

Three, deep scars ran from the corner of his eye and cheek to his ear and into his hairline, twisted and red looking, but healing nicely. There were some smaller scars in between the three biggest ones, but they looked more like scratch marks and would eventually fade to light silvery scars. His eye was slightly stretched where the scars pulled at it, but not enough to be immediately noticeable. Though his vision in that eye was weakened, he had been doing various exercises the past two weeks and now that weakness didn't hold him back anymore.

"So, what were you thinking?"

"Hmm, well, she likes weird art and cats, so maybe we can find some garden accessory or cat-related object inside?" Anamika nodded, as the entire reason they were out here in the first place, was apparently because Michonne's birthday was around this time of year and Carl had wanted to get her something special, since she had done so much for him since he had gotten to know her.

"Alright then, let's get going. Stay on my six, and keep an eye out for walkers." Carl nodded, raising his silenced handgun as Anamika jogged over to the storefront. Glancing around one more time, she knocked on the glass doors and waited, hoping the place wasn't overrun. It took a minute, but finally five walkers slammed against the glass door, their moans reaching the two outside and causing Anamika to grimace in disgust, as one of the walkers were smearing their goo all over the glass.

Motioning for Carl to stand back a bit, she counted down on three fingers, pulling one of the doors open, keeping the glass between her and the walkers. Carl immediately, shot one, calling out to the others and they ignored the silent Anamika, their focus shifting to Carl. Carl backed up as he shot another one and as the last one shuffled past Anamika, she lifted her machete and separated its head from its body. Carl had stopped shooting, afraid to hit Anamika and she quickly and efficiently killed the last two walkers.

Nodding to the boy, she turned and walked into the store, making sure there wasn't another walker lurking about, Carl guarding her back. When she was sure the store was clean, she sheathed her machete.

"Alright, let's go to the garden section and if we can't find anything, we'll check the rest of the store.

"Sure."

Anamika let her young friend take the lead, knowing Carl would know better than her what Michonne would like. She kept a lazy eye out for anything useful, but apparently the store had been looted before, as only useless and broken items remained. Walking down the aisle, she was grateful for the large store windows and glass doors, as it allowed the sunlight to stream in and light up the aisles. Carl still had a flashlight for the dark corners, but overall it wasn't too bad. They looked for a while, but all they could find was some odd garden gnomes and sparkly reindeer statues, which Carl pulled a face at when he saw them. The branched out to the rest of the store, but found nothing of interest.

This place was a complete bust and there wasn't really any other stores to search, as it was a small town with only the basic stores. Finally, Anamika sighed, shaking her head as she made her way to Carl.

"Hey Carl, this place is empty, we're not going to find something here. Come on, let's go look through some of the houses, maybe they'll have something."

Carl sighed and Anamika's heart squeezed painfully at his dejected expression. Slinging an arm over his shoulders, she gave him a sideways hug as she steered them out the store.

"Hey chin up, we'll find something! If not today, we'll come out again tomorrow, to a bigger town." She knew it would be difficult, if not near impossible, to convince Rick to let Carl go to a more populated town and she could see Carl knew it too, but he smiled nonetheless, appreciating the thought.

They searched for about two hours, fining nothing and was finally forced to admit that they wouldn't' find anything today, and that it was time to start heading home. Walking along the street, Anamika listened intently as Carl talked about the new game he started playing with Judith, when an old weathered sign caught her attention.

_Newnan's Antique Store_

Stopping, she tapped Carl's shoulder, pointing towards the small hole-in-the-wall store, "Let's go check that out, antique stores usually have lots of odds and ends and I can't imagine people looting it too much."

Anamika's words proved true, as the front door was locked and no walkers emerged when she knocked on the door. Kneeling in front of the door, she slid her lockpicks from her bun, where she kept them permanently and picked the lock in a few seconds. Carl looked quite impressed and she promised to teach him all the tricks and techniques.

Entering the dimly lit store, they both pulled out their flashlight, doing a quick sweep just in case, before splitting up as they explored the densely packed store. Anamika was surrounded by junk on all side, but she knew these stuff would have been collectables back in the old world. Picking up an old clock, she turned it around in her hands, studying the engravings as an idea niggled the back of her mind, when Carl's triumphant shout reached her. Placing the clock back on the shelf, she followed the sounds Carl was making, runding the aisle to see him holding a cat sculpture in his hands.

It appeared to be made of junk; small metal sheets, bolts and screws, plastic wrappers and clock gears, old jewelry, buttons and accessories, all welded together and wrapped in thin wire. Despite the items it was made of, the sculpture was a truly fantastic one and Anamika stepped forward to grab the name card that sat in front of the open space where the sculpture used to stand.

_Mixed Media Cat by Barbara Franc_

"That looks great!"

"Yeah, Michonne will love this!" Carl's happy face had Anamika's own face breaking into a smile and she squeezed his shoulder.

"Good, I'm glad you found something." Carl nodded and they quickly grabbed some newspapers, wrapping the cat up and luckily finding some duct tape behind the counter to secure it. They made their way out, both their moods lifted and started for home. The car they had used to come here was parked about a quarter mile down the road and soon they were off, driving quiets roads while singing to silly songs. It was as they were driving that Anamika spotted a flash of a house through the trees, slowing down before stopping by the side of the road.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just saw a house through the trees. Wanna go check it out, might be undisturbed." Carl nodded and they both climbed out of the car, Anamika taking the spark plug to make sure it wasn't stolen by some random survivor, before they ventured into the woods in the direction Anamika had seen the house. Soon the trees became fewer and they emerged into an overgrown clearing, a mansion of a house in the middle of it.

It was entirely made of wood, with two stories and a porch that wrapped around the house. However, despite how grand it once might have been, Anamika could clearly see it has been abandoned for some time, moss covering parts of the house and the wood uncared for. Even the driveway was completely overgrown, making it obvious no one had used it in some time.

Silently, she and Carl made their way up the stairs to the porch, Anamika keeping an ear out for the sound of weak or rotten wood creaking, but luckily it seemed steady. Banging on the door three times, they waited till they heard a lone walker moaning and groaning on the other side and this time Carl was the one to open the door as Anamika immediately stabbed the walker in the head.

Entering the house, it was immediately obvious a very wealthy family owned this house, if the size of the house wasn't already a big clue. Lush Carpets, now frayed and moth-eaten, covered the grounds and heavy oak tables and chairs were places tastefully in the rooms. The walls were decorated with hunting trophies, the dead eyes of dozens of creatures seemed to watch them.

Anamika shuddered, she had always hated the tradition of mounting animal heads on walls. However, the fact that this was apparently the house of a hunter left her some hope that she would find something useful here. Leaving Carl to explore downstairs, she went up to the second landing, making sure to check closets and shut doors for walkers before letting her guard down.

However, she didn't find much of use, some bullets, a single rifle and some nice, big backpacks with some camping gear. Not really stuff they needed, but useful nonetheless. She took the two best hiking backpacks and filled them with gear, filling one bag, but the other one staying empty. Glancing around once more, she slung the one bag over her shoulder, carrying the other one as he made her way out of the room. She was about to go downstairs, but her eye caught a rectangular door in the ceiling.

An attic.

Placing the bags against the wall, she glanced around, searching for something to open the door with. Her eyes paused on a small metal box on the wall, looking vaguely like a circuit box, but when she opened it, it was merely a level. Raising an eyebrow, she shook her head at the stuff rick people did, before pulling the level.

She encountered some resistance, hearing gears shifting and concluded that the level was connected to some complex hydraulics system that opened the door, instead of using electricity, which was lucky for her. The trap door was slowly opening, but Anamika, being impatient, yanked the level all the way down, causing the trapdoor to back open. Before she could realise what happened, agitated moans reached her ears and the next thing she knows is a body falling from the hole in the ceiling, taking her down to the floor with it.

She let out a strangled yell, her forearm automatically placed under the creature's jaw, to keep the snapping teeth away from her face. Turning her head away, she strained against the walker on top of her, but it was thoroughly pinning her and she cursed her luck. Of course the walker would be a huge male walkers, easily three times her weight; she was amazed she was keeping it at bay as it is.

Her brow furrowed and she grunted as she pushed, trying to unbalance the thing, but it was determined. Her mind was racing along, trying to figure out another way of removing the creature from on top of her, when the point of a knife emerged from between its eyes, blood dripping from the tip onto her face. Hands appeared on the walker's shoulders, rolling it off her and Anamika had never been so glad to see Carl as she was at that moment.

Exhaling harshly, she dropped her head back to the floor, slowly steadying her breath, as Carl kneeled next to her.

"Anamika, are you alright? You're not bit right?" She managed to shake her head, still out of breath and high on adrenaline and Carl's sigh of relief was echoed by hr thoughts. He leaned down, resting his forehead on her collarbone and she realised he was shaking. Reaching one hand up, she removed his hat, carding her fingers through his hair as she reassured both him and herself that she was still alive.

Finally, she felt it was ok to sit up and Carl moved back as she stood, breathing in deeply.

"Where did it come from? From up there?"

"Yeah, want to check it out?'

"Sure. Let's go."

Anamika nodded, watching the open trap door and seeing the retractable ladder attached to the door. Pulling it down, she started climbing the rungs, making her way into the attic after checking that no more surprises waited for her. Pulling out her flashlight, she immediately realised this is where someone had made a nest. She assumed it was the walker that almost killed her and judging from the old, bloody bandages, he had either been bitten or mortally injured at some point, causing him to turn, probably when he went out looking for food,as she sw no supplies here.

What she did see, was a first aid kit, a ratty mattress and blankets, empty cans and bottles and a hunting knife lying around the floor. Carl followed her up and they both looked around, finding some more weapons and bullets, which was good, but the real treat came when Anamika unzipped a bulky duffel bag. Her face split into a wide grin and she knew tussling with that walker was worth this find.

WD

Daryl glanced around as he came inside the gates, handing the string of rabbits and pheasants to Olivia, his mind focused on finding a certain someone. He talked to Rick briefly, before continuing home, wanting to take a shower. It was an odd thought,  _home_. He had never thought he could become comfortable in a place like this, but over the past month or so, Alexandria had truly become his home. He didn't mind taking showers and he actually talked to some of the people now.

Things had changed after the herd had invaded Alexandria and everyone was more united now, which was strange but oddly comforting. He also found himself seeking the company of Anamika more, the strong woman good company and an even better friend. Though Daryl adamantly told himself that was all; she was, he also couldn't help but notice the subtle swing to her hips as she walked, the strength of her muscles moving gracefully beneath her smooth skin, the scent of her hair as she brushed past him…

Shaking his head, he walked up the stairs into his house, seeing Carol cleaning a gun at the kitchen counter while something boiled on the stovetop.

"Hm, smells good."

Carol looked up, smiling, "It's peaches, one of the runners found a peach tree and brought the peaches back. I'm thinking of making some jam to make peach tart. It'll be ready by tomorrow. In the meantime, let me make you a sandwich."

Though Daryl was fully capable of making his own sandwich, he knew Carol liked to fuss over him, so instead he sat down at the counter, taking over cleaning her gun while they talked about her day and his hunt. He practically inhaled the sandwich she placed in front of him, brushing the crumbs off after an thanking her.

"I'ma take a shower. You know if Anna's here?"

"I think she's upstair with Carl." Daryl nodded, making his way up and heading straight for the bathroom. After a quick shower, just long enough to get all the dirt and blood off him, he knocked on Anamika's door, but heard no answer. Brow furrowing, he pushed the door open and saw that the room was empty. Before he could start to feel worried, he heard voices drifting through the open window and realised Anamika and Carl were sitting on the roof as they talked.

Walking towards the window, he paused as he heard Carl's serious voice mentioning his name, not wanting to interrupt them.

"Why did you come with me instead of going with Daryl today?" Daryl frowned, not wanting to eavesdrop, but curious all the same.

"It looked like you needed me more. Besides, you needed backup and Daryl is fine to hunt on his own for one day. He must have enjoyed the day without me hovering around him like an annoying gnat!"

Though Anamika was laughing and joking around, Daryl still frowned. That's not truly what she thought right?

"I actually think Daryl enjoys your company a lot, he wouldn't have spent the last two weeks with you if he didn't." Anamika just laughed as she replied, "Oh, I know he doesn't mind me, but it must have been a nice change to have the day to himself for once."

"Whatever you say Anna. Anyways, I need to go, but I just wanted to thank you for coming today, it means a lot."

"Anytime kiddo. I'm glad you were there to watch my back." Daryl's eyes narrowed at the strange inflection in her voice when she talked about Carl watching her back. Had something happened?

"Of course, you're family Anna, we look out for each other." He could hear Anamika inhale sharply and her voice was thick when she said, "Thanks Carl." After a short silence, he heard movement and shuffling and then Carl came into view as he climbed through the window into Anamika's room. He seemed surprised to see Daryl, but didn't say anything, just nodded to him as he left the room.

When Anamika didn't emerge after Carl, Daryl hesitated for a brief moment, before he climbed out onto the overhanging roof, seeing Anamika sitting to the side, her gaze turned towards the night sky. The sun had set completely by now and the stars were plentiful, seeming like bright city lights.

She turned to him and smiled, "Good hunt?"

"Yeah, was alright." She hummed, turning hr attention back to the sky. He settled in next to her, but his thoughts weren't on the beauty of the stars or even the beauty of the woman sitting next to him. No, he was more focused on her words he had overheard. After a short silence, he finally spoke up.

"Ya really think that? That I don't want your company on my hunts?" She seemed surprised, but not angry fortunately and he waited patiently while she seemed to order her thoughts.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just thought you'd appreciate some alone time, as I have been hovering around you quite frequently the last few weeks." Daryl stared at his hands, twisting his fingers as he glanced at her.

"Naw, I don't mind. It's better with you there." His voice was quiet, almost shy and Anamika seemed surprised for a second, before she smiled, the smile unlike any he had seen on her face before. It was gentle and warm and filled with something he couldn't quite name and inspired a rush of something else he couldn't identify to build up in him. He grunted, embarrassed and lied down, turing his gaze towards the stars. After a moment, the woman beside him laid down as well, her own gaze on the sparkling sky above them, and in the silence, he could clearly hear her soft whisper.

"Alright, then I'll stay with you."

WD

"I wanted to ask ya, ya mentioned something about carl watching your back last night? Did something happen?"

It was the next day and Anamika had just come downstairs for breakfast, yawning, as she and Daryl had watched the stars in a comfortable silence for hours before she fell asleep, to find daryl sitting at the counter, eating dry cereal.

"Morning. Did you put me in bed? I know I fell asleep on the roof lsat night." Daryl grunted, which Anamika took as an affirmative, before he turned his intense gaze to hr.

"Mika, stop avoiding the subject. What happened yesterday." Anamika felt a smile twitch at her lips when she heard Daryl's nickname that he had recently started using for heer, but his stern gaze had her sighing, sitting down across from him after pouring herself some cereal.

"A walker surprised me, fell from the attic door near on top of me. I couldn't reach my weapons and Carl killed it before anything happened." Daryl sighed, worrying his bottom lip, but clearly relieved it had ended well.

"Kid's good, strong. Glad he was there."

"Me too, believe me! Oh that remind me!" Anamika knew she must look like a mad woman, flying up from her chair and taking the steps two at a time. When she came back down, duffel bag in her hands, it was to find daryl still wearing a mildly bewildered expression. She wanted to tease him, but was too excited over her gift to do so.

"I found something in that attic, thought it would be perfect for you." She placed the bag on the counter in front of Daryl, waiting in anticipation as he unzipped it. As he started pulling his gift out, Anamika found herself babbling to settle her nerves, hoping she didn't make a mistake.

"I know it's not your Stryker, but the Excalibur Equinox is an excellent bow and though the draw weight is a bit heavier than the Stryker, it's strong and reliable. Besides, I didn't think you'd have trouble with the draw weight, going by the look of your arm, you have the muscle. Fuck I didn't just say that, I only meant that you can obviously handle it. I got a few dozen arrows there, we should be able to make more, I'm sure you know how, you always know everything when it comes to crossbows. Shit, I mean, not that you don't know about other stuff-"

Anamika's mouth snapped shut as those very same muscular arms enveloped her, holding her in a tight but slightly awkward hug. She exhaled slowly, her tensed muscles relaxing and the hug instantly became more comfortable as she hugged Daryl back. She knew then she made the right choice to take the crossbow; she had felt it in her very being as soon as she saw it, because Daryl without his crossbow had something inside of her cringe in pain.

Closing her eyes, she clutched Daryl tighter, entirely too comfortable right where she was and determinedly ignoring the implications of that feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked it, this was actually an impulse chapter, because I wanted Daryl to get a crossbow and wanted Anamika and Carl to spend some time together. Let me hear what you guys thought about it!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is here, sorry for the wait. VERY exciting stuff in this chapter and an important AN at the end, please read it. I hope you guys are satisfied and don't feel like I'm rushing the story? I do have to warn though, that there is a smidge of mature content in this chapter, sorry if it offends anyone. Anyway, thanks for the kudos and to Wolvesnight, pragmatica and SevenRuby for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

Later that night, Anamika and Daryl sat on the porch of the house they shared with Carol, sharing the bottle of Southern Comfort between them as they celebrated Daryl's first hunt with Excalibur, as Anamika called it while sporting a shit-eating grin. The hunt had been a huge success, Daryl having no trouble with the extra draw weight, as Anamika had thought and they had managed to take down a doe, as well as a few pheasants.

The real luck came when they were on their way back and a boar had charged out of the underbrush in front of them. Daryl wasn't sure who was more surprised when he dropped the doe and raised his crossbow in one smooth move, them or the boar. Before the boar had even had a chance to get close enough to plough into them, a bolt had landed squarely between its eyes, dropping the beast with a loud thud. Daryl took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, allowing the adrenalin to seep from his body as he saw Anamika do the same. His lips twitched when a wide grin split her face and he couldn't help feeling warm as she laughed in excitement.

When Daryl walked into Alexandria's gates, the boar slung across his shoulders while Anamika carried the doe over her shoulders next to him, he could clearly see the excitement the people had as they saw the meat the hunters had brought back. Between today's hunt and the turkeys previously, as well as the cache he and Anamika had found a week before, Alexandria was doing alright in the food department.

Rick had patted Daryl on the shoulder, the grin on his face wide as he looked over their hunt, thanking them and commenting how they seem to produce the best results when working together. Daryl felt he had done a good day's work and was damn near ecstatic with his new crossbow, so when Anamika had come up to him with a shit-eating grin and the bottle of sin in her hand, he had joined her without protest. So here they were, at one in the morning, all alone as Carol had gone to Tobin's for dinner and never returned, just passing the bottle back and forth in a comfortable silence.

A giggle interrupted his quiet thoughts and he looked at his companion, her eyes shining in the moonlight. He admired her for a bit, before he realised that she was staring back at him with a dopey grin on her face. "What?"

"Nothing," she replied, her grin stretching wider, "I just can't remember the last time I drank and was this relaxed. When this all happened, it was a hazard to be drunk and I can't remember drinking before that."

"So wha', you're drunk miss military?" She giggled again and instead of irritating him, he found himself smiling instead, enjoying the sound of her drunken laughter.

"Noooo…" She dragged out the word, before giggling again, swaying slightly and stumbling as she stood up to do who knows what, "Ok, maybe a  _little_  bit. You know, I feel safe with you, comfortable, so maybe it's ok for me to be a bit tipsy."

"Woman, you're completely arse over tits drunk. Sit down before you hurt yourself." A burst of laughter escaped her lips and Daryl shifted uncomfortably, her words and laughter causing him to become half hard, a reaction he very much tried to ignore even as her loose sleeping shirt slipped off one shoulder, exposing the creamy skin with some faint silvery scars.

"Ok, whatever you say, my big bad overprotective redneck." His pulse jumped and he swallowed at her drunken ramblings, feeling uncomfortable yet wanting something he wasn't sure he could have, as he followed her efforts to sit back down. As she started to bend down to sit next to him, she overbalanced and started falling, her hands shooting out just as his own did to catch her. After some fumbling and cursing, Daryl wound up finding himself with a lapful of Anamika, her blue eyes dark in the moonlight as she stared at him, her face barely an inch away. His immediate instinct was to flinch away, to push her from him, but the intensity in her gaze had him frozen in place.

Her eyes was searching his and she slowly righted herself, but to his consternation, she didn't move from his lap, but rather straddled him, her body warm against him and causing the aching in his member to intensify. Her breath was sweet over his face, the scent of alcohol and those tic tacs she had found in the cellar assaulting his senses. Her hands came up to his shoulders, before one rose further to lay against his cheek ever so softly. Daryl didn't know what to do with his hands, so they laid limp besides him, as he was too afraid to move.

"You know," she breathed out, her thumb almost noticeably caressing his cheek, "I meant what I said. I really do feel safe with you Daryl Dixon. That's a first for me…" He couldn't move, his heartbeat frozen in his throat as he watched her. She was watching him as well and after a moment, as if she realised he didn't know what to do or what she wanted, she slowly leaned forward.

The moment her soft, chapped lips touched his, his body locked up, panicking and unsure what was happening. When they moved hesitantly against him, he thought for sure he would push her away, as he usually does when confused, but to his own great surprise, he slowly started kissing her back. When she felt him move against her lips, she became more confident, her kiss harder as she slipped one arm loosely around his neck, her other hand still on his cheek. His own hands came up automatically to rest on her hips and when her tongue trailed across his bottom lip, he opened his mouth to her.

It wasn't fireworks or supernovas that went off behind his eyelids, instead her kiss, her tongue tangling with his as her soft body pressed against his was like molten lava flowing through him, warming him up from every point where they touched and causing him to throb with need. He kissed back harder, his teeth nipping at her bottom lips and she moaned, grinding against his hardened member. A deep groan left him as his hands slid around to grip her ass, pushing her down as his hips bucked up and his growl intermingled with her moan as she threw her head back.

His lips found her throat, placing sucking kisses down it till he reached the junction where her neck and shoulder met and he sucked the skin into his mouth, bruising her as he gave her a hickey. She moaned again, her hands now tugging at his hair as she rolled her hips against his and he choked, holding her tighter to him as he thrust up into the heat of her groin. Their lips met again in a frenzy and he was so distracted by her that he didn't feel her unbuckling his pants till her hand was down them, gripping his member as she pumped her hand up and down.

It had been years since anyone had touched him like that and Daryl cried out, overwhelmed by the sensations she invoked in him and came in her hand, panting as his orgasm flooded through him. He was breathing harshly, her body still against his as he came down from his pleasurable high, but instead of relaxing, his body filled with shame.

He had rutted against her like a lovesick puppy and prematurely ejaculated like a teenage boy who just got his first hand job. She probably thought he was some fool or something and he couldn't handle the thought of her laughing at him. So Daryl regressed back to what he knew, the way he had always acted when embarrassed or trying to distance himself from someone.

He became angry.

Turning his shame into rage was easy for Daryl and he pushed her hands away as he zipped himself up. Pushing her body off his, he stood, his movements jerky as he tried to escape as fast as possible.

"Daryl? Daryl, what's wrong?" He ignored her, striding towards the porch steps, desperate to get away from the situation.

"Wait, Daryl, wha-" Her hand grasped his arm and he ripped himself from her, whirling around to see the hurt expression on her face, which just made him angrier at himself. However, it was easier to yell at someone else than at yourself, so he pointed his finger at her threateningly.

"Stay away from me ya stupid bitch. Don't be needing nobody, least of all you!" She reared back, her eyes wide, before they went cold and he felt a shiver travel down his back. She didn't say anything, just pursed her lips and turned, walking towards the door and slamming it behind her and he walked down the steps, his strides angry as he made his way into the darkness of the night.

WD

The following three days, Daryl avoided Anamika like the plague. He knew she hadn't done anything wrong, hell, he had been more than happy to reciprocate her actions. Since the night everything had gone to hell, he had time to think through everything again and come to the conclusion that he was a major asshole that had completely overreacted. He wanted to apologise to her, but didn't know how, especially since the shame of him ejaculating prematurely, without ensuring her own pleasure was still swirling around inside him.

Since her didn't know how to react or what to do, he ignored her and pretended that entire night never happened. He knew the rest of his family had realised that something had happened between them, but nobody asked after his initial I-don't-want-to-talk-about-it grunt and it seemed Anamika was also keeping her silence. He knew Carol was worried about him, but she was also involved with Tobin now and had her own business to take care of.

Daryl took every opportunity to get out of the gates and away from Anamika, so it happened that he often went on runs with Glenn or Rick. Today was another day he and Rick was out on a run, going to a nearby strip mall to search for medication. Tara and Heath was with them, but they had split into two groups to cover more ground and he and Rick was searching through the pharmacy, while Heath and Tara was going through a general goods store. Since they had arrived, Daryl had felt this trip was going to be worthless, as the windows had been smashed in and graffiti was splashed all across the walls.

He had just thrown a bottle of Tylenol in his backpack, about the only thing he could find, when Rick started speaking from behind him, causing his back to tense up.

"Daryl, what's going on with you and Anna? I appreciate you going on all these runs, but everyone knows something happened and Anna has been closing herself off from the rest of us. I wasn't going to say anything, but Carl told me she was quiet yesterday and left earlier when she usually would when playing with Judith. I don't know what happened brother, but you need to fix it."

"I don't need to do shit!" Rick's eyes were trained on him and Daryl huffed angrily, turning away from his long-time friend. He felt uncomfortable, mainly because he knew Rick was right, but he didn't know how to go about it or how to get over his shame.

"Daryl, you care for her."

"Man, stop talking shit about shit you don't know shit about!"

"No, you do! If you didn't care for her, you wouldn't be this bothered by whatever happened. Brother, if you want to go down this road and cut her off, go ahead. Just remember the world we live in and how once you do go down this road, there's no turning back or do-overs." With that, Rick walked away to another part of the store and Darl was reminded of how Rick had lost it after Lori's death and the guilt he felt knowing she had died thinking he hated her. He never wanted to experience that, but it also wasn't easy to open up about his vulnerabilities to someone.

The remainder of the run went smoothly, even with Daryl distracted and soon they were on their way back, not having found much of anything. When they got back home, he looked around for Anamika, but couldn't see her and some part of him was relieved he was able to put off his talk with her, since he still didn't know what he wanted to say. He went to bed in an empty house that night, Carol still at Tobin's and Anamika nowhere to be found. He was a bit worried, but he knew the woman could take care of herself and Carol had assured him she had seen Anamika right before they came back and the woman just needed some time. He went to sleep, his dreams troubled and uneasy.

Daryl was jerked from his sleep into a sudden wakefulness, uncertain what had caused his abrupt awakening. A shift of weight on his body had him trying to fly up, his body bucking to fling the assailant off, but whoever was on him was better than he expected, their body going with his movement and then pinning him back to the bed. He was just about to try again, when he felt a warm heat ground down on him and that shocked him enough to actually look at who was on him. It wasn't some enemy attacking him in his sleep, but rather Anamika, a fierce expression on her face that caused Daryl's breath to hitch.

He was screwed and he knew it.

WD

While Daryl was on a run with Rick, Heath and Tara, Anamika had been wandering around Alexandria, her mind miles away. While she wouldn't say she loved Daryl, she knew it had the strong potential to turn into that given the chance and that scared her. If he could make her feel this bad when she didn't even love him yet, she dreaded what he could do to her when she did love him. She wondered if she really wanted to be in a group, if this is the kind of pain that came from it. People you care about rejecting you or dying wasn't something she had to worry about in a long time and she found herself unconsciously distancing herself from others in the group, afraid they, too, would hurt her.

Daryl's reaction was one born of shame and maybe regret, she wasn't sure, but she knew he wasn't someone who would just use her for pleasure. That made it all the more difficult to accept that he had probably realised that he didn't want to try and have more with her, when she had obviously been more than eager to take it further. She felt like such a slut and, to her memory, she might be a virgin for all she knows. It made her realise she really didn't know what she was doing. Sure, she knew the basics of sex and the way she had reacted to his groping told her she probably had sex before, but she couldn't remember it, so this was her first time again, having sex and trying to be in a relationship.

She knew she was scared of it, but she was also willing to try, but apparently Daryl wasn't. She sighed again, deciding she needed to blow off some steam. Making her way to the front gate, she waited for Spencer to open it and headed out, only carrying her pistol, machete, kukri and two throwing knives. For anyone else, that was a lot of firepower, but for her it was the bare minimum. She walked the perimeter of Alexandria, checking the braces and seeing how the pitfalls they were busy digging was coming along. She spent about a hour helping Glenn sharpening stakes they were planning to add to the pitfalls and stick into the cars parked outside the gates, asking him about Maggie's pregnancy and generally getting to know him better.

When she moved on, she killed any walkers she saw, stacking them on a pile for pickup later and then continued on to where Maggie was directing some people on the area they were planting to grow crops. Smiling and waving at the woman, she decided not to interrupt her, but rather continued her circuit. It was as she was dragging another walker to the pile on her second circuit, having been outside the walls for a good two and a half hours, that she saw Carol approaching.

"Hey."

"Hey." She grunted back. She wiped her hands on her jeans after dropping the walker by the pile, before she looked at Carol, curious what the woman searched her out for.

"Look, I know something happened between you and Daryl and I know it isn't any of my business. I just, I care for Daryl and I hate seeing him this way. I also care for you Anna and I've seen how you're pulling away." Anamika stayed quiet, not sure what to say and not being able to refute Carol's words, as they both knew that's exactly what she was doing.

"Look, I don't want to interfere, but I want you both to be happy. Daryl doesn't know how to act around someone he cares deeply about and he's never been involved with anyone before. Whatever happened, just… please keep in mind that he is confused and when Daryl is confused, he withdraws and acts out. He sometimes still doesn't see how good of a man he is."

Anamika nodded, understanding what Carol was trying to say without actually coming out and saying it. Daryl might actually be interested in her and that's precisely why he had reacted as he did. She felt irritated that he couldn't communicate that to her, but then again, neither of them were big with communication. After all, she didn't see herself seeking Daryl out and demanding an explanation. The thought that Daryl might be willing to try and have more with her, if she could just get past the wall he had built, had hope inflating in her chest and for the first time in days, a smile twitched at her lips. Carol seemed relieved when she saw this and Anamika couldn't help but laugh.

"Ok, I'll make sure he listens to me and keep haranguing him till he gives into my charms." Carol chuckled and smiled at the younger woman, a hand on her hip.

"Just be nice to my pookie." At hearing the nickname, Anamika burst anew into laughter, tears in her eyes and she realised, she really did like Carol very much. Sure, the woman could be scary as fuck, but so could she and she felt an odd camaraderie with the older woman. Carol smiled and nodded at her, then wrinkled her nose.

"But first, I think you should take a shower. You stink." Still chuckling, Anamika followed Carol back inside Alexandria, heading to the house she shared with Daryl and Carol and taking a long, relaxing shower, where she took the time to do the small, unnecessary luxuries, like shaving and conditioning her hair. After, she climbed out her window onto the overhanging roof, before grabbing onto the edge of the upper roof and pulling herself up onto it. Lying down, she watched as the sun started to set, finally at peace as she considered what to do concerning Daryl. There was several routes she could take, some easing him into it, but she realised that wasn't her.

She never cared what someone thought of her and always spoke her mind and though she didn't want to hurt Daryl, now that she was thinking with a clear mind, she knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him. She had felt his desire a few nights ago and had seen the lust darkening his eyes, so she decided to not tip toe around him, but rather go straight in for the kill, like she usually does. Despite her conviction, it took her a few hours to get the courage to get down from the roof and into Daryl's room. He could either lash out at her in a rage or give in to her, but she hoped for the latter.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at his sleeping form, giving herself a pep talk, before she crept forward, shucking her jeans and climbing to straddle him in just her panties and shirt. His eyes popped open and she knew she was in for a wild ride, one way or another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, sorry for the cliffhanger, but good news is I might be convinced to post the next chapter sooner;)
> 
> Due to this being AO3, I don't think it's such a big of an issue, but I do want to warn that mature scenes are coming, as Daryl and Anamika explore the new aspect of their relationship. Usually I don't write sex scenes, but shockingly, I actually felt it was necessary for Daryl and Anamika's development. I couldn't just hint at it, since a lot of Daryl's inner struggle and shame is revealed and dealt with during sex.
> 
> So from the next chapter on, there will be explicit scenes, consider yourself informed:)


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I'm definitely not supposed to update the day after I already updated, but I'm in a REALLY good mood thanks to Lumora The White on ff.net and her reviews (by the way, her story Die For You is amazing, check it out if you haven't already), so you guys are in luck. If you don't want to read a mature scene, skip ahead to the first scene break WD. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Daryl had reacted the way she thought he initially would and she managed to move with him, staying on top of him and then pressing down on him again. When he froze and met her eyes, she knew he realised who it was and she took a deep breath, letting it out nervously. She kind of felt like a molester who was here to rape him or something as she pinned him to the bed, but the one thing that made it better was that if he really wanted to, he could easily overpower her, now that he was entirely awake and not half asleep. She was determined to force him to listen to her and to show him what she could offer him, but if she really tried and it looked like he truly didn't want it, she would stop. She just hoped it wouldn't come to that.

"Wha-?!" She bent down, muffling his exclamation with her lips, forcing her tongue into his mouth and kissing him for all she was worth. He instantly responded, hardening beneath her and she ground her body down on his. He ripped his mouth away, panting as his eyes filled with lust, but his words were angry.

"What the hell woma-" She rolled her hips again and he choked, his eyes squeezing shut as his hands gripped her hips so tightly she knew it would leave bruises. While he was distracted by her rolling hips, her hands lowered to his pants, unzipping them just enough for her to slip his straining member out of his boxers. His eyes flew open, but before he could do more than attempt to sit up, she slid her body against his, her wet lips rubbing against him as she rolled her hips against him, all that's separating them being the soaked material of her panties.

Her breath came out in harsh pants as she kept her eyes on his eyes, which was transfixed on the spot where he could feel her dripping all over him. She saw lust in his eyes, as well as something like disbelief, that only made her roll her hips harder and seeing his eyes darken further as his fingers formed into claws on her hips. She reached down, drawing her underwear to the side and sliding forward till the head of his dick was right by her entrance. Then she paused, her eyes on Daryl, who swallowed heavily.

"If you want me to stop, if you don't want this, you need to tell me now. I don't know if I'll be able to stop later, so you need to tell me  _now_. Tell me to stop.  _Tell me!_ "

Daryl's eyes flicked to hers and she could see the silent plea in his eyes, the one he couldn't verbalise, the one he was ashamed of saying.

_Don't stop_

Anamika let out a shaky moan as she slowly slid onto Daryl, his hot, hard length rubbing against all the right places. She heard Daryl inhale sharply, his breath hitching as she squeezed around him. She paused for a second, breathing deeply as she adjusted to his considerable girth, before she rolled her hips experimentally. Daryl groaned as she whimpered at the pleasure that spiked through them both, Anamika's breath coming out faster as she rolled her hips harder, not letting Daryl leave her, as she was afraid he would take that chance to run.

His pubic bone rubbed slightly against her clit with every roll and she could feel her orgasm slowly building, but with the next roll of her hips and clench of her inner walls, Daryl grunted and spilled himself inside her, breathing hard from his unexpected orgasm. She sat quietly, allowing him to come down from his high as his member softened a bit inside her. He was still half hard though, which gave her courage for the next part of her plan. She had to get Daryl to accept the pleasure she could give him, that they could give each other. When Daryl became more aware, she could see the shame once again clearly flooding his eyes as his muscles tensed beneath her and she knew he was getting ready to run, to push her away.

But she wouldn't let him.

She gritted her teeth and clenched down on his half hard dick, her inner walls contracting around him as she ground herself against him. Daryl's eyes opened wide in shock as he choked out a groan, but she met his gaze steadily, telling him without saying a word that she wasn't letting him go that easily. Already she could feel his member hardening inside her and she smiled; not a smug smile or a cheeky one, but a true smile that showed just how much she cared about him and wanted this. His muscles slowly released the tension as he relaxed back onto the bed, still holding onto her but content to let her take the lead.

Never breaking their gaze, she slowly lifted her body up, before sinking down on his member again, her breath hitching as the ridges of his hard cock rubbed against her walls. She continued this, building up her speed slowly, until she was steadily bouncing on him, her hands braced on his chest as her mouth hung open and her eyes closed. She moaned as his hands tentatively slid up her side, cupping her breasts through her shirt and bra, causing a spike of desire to shoot through her as her body shuddered slightly.

Lifting her hands from where they had rested on his chest, she pulled her shirt over her head, flinging it away before she unclipped her bra and gave it the same treatment. Her breasts now bared to him, she saw how he watched them, unconsciously licking his lips and the sight had her burning hotter and whimpering as she continued to ride him, his own groans heightening her arousal even more.

"D-Daryl," she whimpered, biting her bottom lip and was startled when Daryl suddenly sat up, his face close to hers and his darkened blue eyes piercing hers. Taking a chance, she leaned forward and took his bottom lip between her teeth, pulling slightly as she moaned and the next moment, they were kissing ferociously. There was nothing sweet or tentative about this kiss, it was hard, hot and heavy. She whimpered as Daryl kneaded her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers. Pulling her mouth away from his, she gasped and moaned as his mouth travelled down to take one breast in his mouth, her hands grabbing at his hair. The same moment his lips closed around her nipple, his hips bucked up into her, causing her to mewl in pleasure as she clutched his head closer to her body.

Her body was on fire and she didn't know what to pay attention to, overloading from all the sensations he was introducing to her body. "D-Daryl, don't s-stop!"

The next moment she was on her back, Daryl above her as he kissed her again and she grunted and moaned into his mouth as he started pounding into her. He pulled away from her lips, his face buried in her neck as her arms wound at his shoulders, bunching together the fabric of his shirt and her legs wrapped around his hips, holding on to him as she whimpered his name and moaned ' _harder'_ and ' _faster'._ Her mouth opened wide as she gasped when one of his hands travelled down to where their bodies were joined and started rubbing her clit in tight, hard circles. She couldn't breath, she couldn't think, she could only feel, embracing the sensation of molten lava that spread through her body.

"Oh… Oh-Oh g-god, Daryl! Daryl,  _oh, oh god_!"

"Aah... _uhh, 'mika_ …" She moaned in response to Daryl's groan in her ear, his voice low and husky with need. His hips snapped into hers as she rocked with the motion and she started breathing shallowly as her orgasm approached, building up like a wave and when Daryl snapped his hips into her hard, combined with the feeling of his finger on her clit and his lips once again around her nipple, the wave crashed over her, her back arching up as a long, low shaky moan left her, her breath hitching in pleasure. She was barely aware of Daryl's grunts as he pumped his hips into hers at a frenzied pace, chasing his own orgasm, before finally he clutched her to him as he groaned in completion, his body jerking into hers as he cummed inside her.

She breathed deeply, slowly coming down from her high, her sweaty hair sticking to her body, Daryl's trembling body heavy on top of her. However, instead of pushing him to get off, she kept her arms and legs around him, pulling him closer and burying her head into his neck. After a while, Daryl sighed and rolled over, staying inside her, but lying on his back with her cuddled up on top of him. His hand was absentmindedly stroking her back and Anamika knew she had to say what she wanted now, before Daryl convinced himself of something else again.

"I want to try this. I-I want to try us. I… I know it's frightening; hell, I'm terrified of this. I haven't ever felt this way before and I can't remember being in any type of relationship, but… but if it's with you, I wanna give it a try…" Her throat closed up and she couldn't say anymore. There was so much more that she should say, but she was unused to placing herself in the open like this and she had already breached her comfort levels by saying as much as she did. She felt his arms tighten around her as he breathed in deeply, before he exhaled shakily.

"...Yeah... me too." Even though that was all Daryl said, she felt a dizzying relief fill her and she smiled against his chest, settling herself more deeply as her eyes closed in exhaustion. She could feel Daryl's lips brush the top if her head and he pulled the thin blanket over her naked body and his clothed one. She slowly slipped into sleep, truly happy for the first time in days.

WD

The following days there was a definite change in the way Daryl acted around her. Even though he had initially been awkward and withdrawn the morning after their night of passion, Anamika had quickly put a stop to it with a hot and heavy makeout session, kissing Daryl till she felt dizzy and her lips swollen.

Since she knew Daryl was uncomfortable with heart to hearts, she tried to show him without words how much she wanted him, though she knew they would have to talk in-depth about this some time or other. After that, though Daryl didn't show affection in public, he also didn't avoid her anymore and didn't reject her fleeting touches, though he seldom reciprocated and always became quite shy in his own gruff manner, which she found absolutely adorable.

She knew Rick and the others had seen the change, but they didn't comment on it, for which she was eternally grateful. Though they hadn't slept together since, she made sure that not a day passed without at least a decent makeout session, which Daryl seemed entirely happy to go along with, though he never initiated it and it never happened in public. She didn't really mind that last point though, since she also wasn't interested in displays of public affection or people being in her business.

Aaron's knowing smirks were already unbearable enough as it was.

She had, however, had to visit Denise and ask if they had any morning after pills, as she had quite forgotten about a condom when planning her ambush of Daryl and she didn't know if she could get pregnant, but she knew now was definitely not the time regardless.

While she and Daryl spent more time together now than before, they weren't joined at the hip, as they both still had separate duties to take care of. Sometimes, however, it seemed Rick took pity on them and assigned them together for a run. Today was one such day.

Anamika had her backpack slung across her shoulder as she made her way to the gate where Daryl was waiting, a car ready for them to use. Rick was busy talking to him, probably about what necessities they had to look out for, while Michonne came up to her from the side.

"Hey Anna, when you're out there, can you look for some toothpaste please. I'm going to run out in about two weeks if I stretch it and I just want to make sure I have backup." Anna laughed, as she knew about Michonne's obsession with clean teeth, not that she blamed her, as fuzzy teeth was nasty.

"Yes of course, if I see some, I'll grab it."

"Remember, sp-"

"Spearmint is your favorite!" Anamika laughed as she finished Michonne's sentence for her and the woman smiled at her, before patting her shoulder and walking off. Anamika wandered over to the car, getting into the passenger side as Daryl climbed into the driver's seat. Rick leaned down to the open window, his eyes flicking between the two of them.

"Be careful out there and don't get too distracted."

"Can't promise nothing," Anamika replied, smiling wickedly at the innuendo and Daryl's uncomfortable expression. Any moment now, he'll-

"Stop." Aaaah, yes, there it was, the typical Daryl response. She laughed as Rick smirked and then they were pulling away, leaving the safe zone behind them. They chatted quietly as they made their way towards a small town they'd found on the map, nothing important to their conversations other than the joy of each other's company. After an hour of driving, they saw the sign for the town and became more focused, ready to leave at a moment's notice. All seemed quiet, though and the few walkers they could see they would be able to put down without problem.

Stopping in front of a small gas station, they found that while the gas station pumps were empty, the cars in the adjoining auto repair shop still had some gas, as well as some of the cars in the streets. The town seemed untouched, but Anamika wasn't surprised, as it was a small dot in the middle of nowhere, probably with less than a thousand population count at one time. While Daryl syphoned the gas into cannisters they'd brought, she cleared the small convenience store and packed some supplies into her backpack, mostly junk food and stale crackers. She did find several packs of cigarettes though, which she knew Daryl would enjoy, as well as one small pistol behind the counter and a half full box of ammo.

Slinging her backpack over her shoulder after she placed everything in it, she made her way outside, seeing Daryl loading the gas canisters into their car. When he was finished, he came to her and together they walked to the small pharmacy. Daryl knocked on the glass door and together they waited. When nothing came after a minute, Daryl opened the door, his crossbow up and loaded.

Glancing behind her, she saw that the walkers were still far off and no problem to them yet, so she followed Daryl inside. Though there weren't a lot of medicine left, they did find almost a treasure mine of all different kinds of supplements, from prenatal vitamins, to cold preventatives and general boosters. Knowing that supplements is always useful in this day and age, they grabbed it all, filling two bags that they had brought with them, including with some general over the counter medicine.

The next place they checked was the general sports store, which had some durable clothes and boots for the people back home, as well as some camping gear, which was always useful, even in a place like Alexandria. As Daryl was carrying the bigger items to the car, Anamika explored the back of the store. She had seen that the guns section had been raided, with just one or two left, but she thought the back might still have some.

Knocking on the back door, she heard some moaning, but deemed it to be only one. Swinging the door open, she easily buried her machete into the skull of the walker, looking behind it to make sure it was alone. When she saw it was all clear, she made her way over to the safe she could see.

Luckily, the owners had bought a simple safe with a lock on it and they would be able to cut it off with the bolt cutters they had brought along. Walking back to the car, she told Daryl about the safe as she grabbed the cutters and he nodded as he came along with her. Cutting the lock open, Daryl opened the safe to see a few rifles and shotguns, not exactly the load she was searching for, but it would do. She was excited, however, the find the boxes of ammo stored in the back and smiled widely as she carried them back to the car.

"Yo Mika, think I see a police station up ahead. Let's check it out." Nodding, she followed Daryl, her face aglow in pleasure at the nickname he called her. Ever since he called her that during the height of their passion, he had started using it more often and Anamika learned to treasure it more than she had before. When the others had asked after he finally started using it in their presence, she had confided her full name to them, but most still referred to her as Anna, since it was also a shortened version of her name. Daryl, however, was determined to be different, as he called her either Mika or darling, both which she adored.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, she saw Daryl had already entered the police station and she hurried to catch up, not wanting to leave him on his own. The police station turned out to have a few more walkers inside than they expected, but nothing the two of them couldn't handle. Though they didn't find any firearms, they did find lots of ammo, most of it lying around loosely, as well as several hand weapons in the evidence locker and some riot gear, which was always handy. Making sure to load it all up, Anamika was carrying a bag of ammo to the car when she saw movement in the corner of her eye. Whirling around, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was only a deer, a buck to be exact.

Grinning, she dropped the bag into the trunk and hefted her rifle out, bringing her eye to the scope as she aimed. Maybe now Daryl would stop teasing her about stealing his deer all those months ago. Her finger twitched on the trigger, ready to fire, when the deer's head shot up and it bounded away between the houses. Grunting in frustration, Anamika saw it was two walkers who scared it and quickly shooting them, thankful for her silencer, she ran off to the gap between the two houses. Maybe she could still get that deer.

Rounding the corner, she saw the deer crossing a field and she ran forward between the houses, determined to get a better shot. Before she could exit the small alleyway however, walkers cut her off from the front, initially walking after the deer but turning towards her when they saw her. Cursing, she backpedaled, trying to get away when more came from the back.

_Fuck, she was screwed, where did they all come from?_

Lifting her rifle again, she shot the ones closest to her, though she soon had to abandon it as the gun was too cumbersome in the limited space and switch to her pistol. Shooting with her right hand, her left held her machete ready for any walker that came too close before she could shoot it. Her body was a whirlwind as she took down walkers, but they seemed never-ending and she was starting to get panicked.

She slashed out in front of her, dropping down to avoid a grasping hand, a bullet plowing through the owner's brain, before spinning with her leg stretched out to trip some of the bodies closest to her to the ground. Jumping back onto her feet, a quick bullet was delivered to each of their skulls, her attention already on the next snarling walker. A white haze began to filter in from the edges of her vision and her mind seemed to slide away softly, when a sudden shout startled her out of the zone she was falling into.

"Mika! Fuck,  _Anamika_!" Looking up, she saw Daryl fighting like a wild animal to get to her and a relieved smile lit up her face. However, that moment of distraction was all a nearby walker needed and the next moment she was tackled to the ground, a walker's jaw snapping in front of her face as she desperately tried to keep it away. She grunted as another walker fell on top of the one already on her, trying in vain to get to her and she could feel bony fingers wrapping around her ankle.

Her eyes widened in panic, even more so as she could hear Daryl fighting to get to her, but she had seen how many walkers were between them. Both her hands were busy trying to keep the two walkers on top of her at bay, while her feet was kicking out to try and loosen the grip another had on her ankle. The walker closest to her lunged forward and she had to give all her concentration to keep it away from her face, her body stilling for a second as her arms strained.

That was all that was needed though.

Anamika yelled in pain as steelbands closed around her ankle, the walker biting down hard and her bones grinding as the pressure of the bite threatened to break them. Her anguished scream seemed to turn Daryl into a demon, and the next moment he was at her side, the jaws on her ankle going slack and the bodies on top of her going limp before being flung from her.

Anamika couldn't move, her mind blank in panic and her eyes staring straight ahead in a wide disbelieving gaze. Sound was muffled, but soon she could see Daryl's face, just as panicked as her own, floating in front of her and his yelling reached her ears.

"-ika! Anamika,  _did it get you_?!" She nodded dumbly and for a second, she saw the despair, the heartbreak that filled Daryl's eyes. Then he was gone, his hands tugging at her boots roughly and as he ripped it off, she sat up, her eyes trained on the foot he was now pulling the sock off from. Her ankle was an ugly mess, bloody and bruised and completely torn up. She could feel tears wanting to fill her eyes, but the shock was too much even for tears. Her breathing was shallow as Daryl cursed and gripped his hair, his body shaking and Anamika promised herself she would wrap her arms around him now, as soon as she could get her limbs to move again.

The next moment Daryl was grabbing her boot he had thrown to one side, inspecting it closely and pushing and prodding at the ankle part. After a few seconds, his shoulders slumped and she inhaled sharply, fearing the worst.

"There's no hole." She blinked, not understanding.

"Mika, there's no hole. The walker bit you, but the bleeding is probably from the pressure of the bite and ya boot rubbing against ya skin. Mika, look at me!" She looked up from the slightly worn but still intact boot at Daryl's blue eyes, the relief in his eyes causing her breath to leave her.

"Anamika, you gonna be fine, it didn't reach your skin." All at once, it felt as if her muscles, which had kept her prisoner till now, let her go and her entire body slumped forward, her head resting on Daryl's shoulders as she clutched him to her, the immense relief and joy leaving her lightheaded. Her body was shaking, tremors shuddering through her as her eyes burned, though the shock still kept the tears at bay.

Daryl was also clinging to her, his own body trembling, the close call having scared the crap out of both of them and they both needed the comfort of each other's arms, reassuring themselves that she was still there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys would not believe how tempted I was to stop the chapter right after they see her bloody ankle, leaving you all in suspense, but I decided to be nice and not do that. I hope you guys liked the chapter, some serious relationship development in this chapter and the next, so lemme know your thoughts!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, time to see Daryl's reaction, beware for raunchy scenes and sillyness;) Thanks for all the kudos and to Leerna and Smdoo for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

"Come on, let's go. We got more than enough for today." Anamika nodded, taking a deep breath before releasing Daryl and allowing him to help her up. Her ankle throbbed and though it hurt to walk on it, she doubted it would take more than a few days to heal. Hobbling to the car, the journey back home was silent, though Daryl had held her hand tight to his thigh the entire way home. It was uncharacteristic of him to be this open and affectionate, but she knew she had scared him with the close call. She knew as soon as the shock wore off, he was going to ask her why she had wandered off and she felt kind of embarrassed to admit it was in pursuit of a deer.

Reaching the gates of Alexandria, they waited for the person on guard to open it, which was Eugene and drove through to Olivia's house, where the supplies will be dropped off for inventory. It was already late in the day, about an hour or so before sunset, so after dropping the supplies off, they made their way home. Anamika had declined going to the infirmary, saying she or even Daryl could easily take care of her ankle with the basic first aid kit she had in her room. Making a pitstop at Rick's, they told him of their day and Anamika apologised to Michonne, as she couldn't find any toothpaste for the woman. When they finally reached their house, they ate some of the casserole Carol had left out for them, before they retreated to Anamika's room.

"Come on, lemme see that ankle." Smiling, she watched as Daryl quickly fetched the first aid kit after he sat her down on her bed and gently, more gently than she had known he could be, removed her boot from her ankle. He cleaned the blood from it and winced at the dark purple bruise that was already starting to form. With the blood gone, she could easily see the wound was mostly from scrape marks of the boot rubbing against her skin and not even that bad ones. Daryl gently disinfected it, before tightly wrapping it, making sure the bandage won't come loose. As he packed away the first aid kit, Anamika couldn't keep her eyes off him.

She had seen a side of him that she doesn't see often, but like every other time she had seen it, it filled her heart with an incredible warmth and affection for this gruff man. When it looked like he was going to leave, even if it only was to return the first aid kit to her bathroom, she quickly stood up, her hand reaching out to his arm to stop him. He paused, half turning towards her.

"Daryl… Thanks. If you weren't there today… I… I wo-" She could see the darkness that flashed across his eyes as he considered how differently this could have ended up and then he moved faster than she could keep up with. One moment she was standing slightly behind him, the next moment he had swung her around so that her back was against the wall and his body pressed against hers. His tongue had invaded her mouth and was battling against hers, twisting and licking all inside her mouth. It was not lost on her that this was the first time Daryl initiated anything between them, but she decided to just go with it and not bring attention to it, like the massive grin threatening to break across her face would do.

Shifting to get closer to him, she winced a bit when she placed weight on her ankle and Daryl seemed to notice, but instead of stopping as she thought he might, his hands slid around to cup her ass and he lifted her, her legs instinctually wrapping around his waist as he pressed her back into the wall. His hands were kneading her ass and she moaned, arousal flaring up in her as she grinded against his hard on. Using his hips to pin her to the wall, Daryl broke away from her lips to rip her shirt off over her head, followed by her bra and a wanton moan escaped her as his teeth nipped at her nipple, before he sucked strongly.

She almost couldn't believe this was the same man who was so shy and withdrawn when it came to her romantic advances, but she definitely wasn't going to complain, not when he was doing such wonderful things to her body. Gripping his shirt, she pulled it over his head before he could protest and as he was drawing back, a peculiar expression on his face, she rolled her hips against his, sucking a love bite onto his neck. A deep groan vibrated through his chest and he seemed to forget whatever had been bothering him, as he turned with her still in his arms and carried her to her bed. Throwing her down, she bounced twice as she watched with heated eyes as he unbuckled his belt, his arousal straining against the material of his jeans. When his pants dropped, she licked her lips and shimmied out of her own jeans, her eyes trained on the hard cock that stood proudly to attention.

However, before she could get rid of her panties as well, Daryl had pressed her to the bed, his large body covering hers and his lips on her own. Her arms wrapped around his neck, one hand clenched in his hair as the other clawed at his back. His one hand trailed down to her heated centre, his fingers pushing the soaked material aside to drag through her lips till they found her clit. He pressed down hard, before quickly circling it and she arched up, groaning in pleasure and need. The sound was too much for Daryl and she could heard a rip as her panties was torn from her body and two fingers plunged into her.

"Guh,  _uh Daryl_! Please, please, I need-" Her voice gurgled as a third finger joined the other two while his thumb pressed down on her clit. Daryl's eyes was intense on hers, the blue darkened in arousal and she moaned in ecstasy.

"What do ya want darlin', tell me what ya want. I  _need_  you to tell me what you want darlin'!" His voice, rough, low and desperate, sent a thrill through her body, causing her thoughts to become scrambled in desire, but not enough for her to miss the slight insecurity in his voice, the question he was asking her.

"I-I…  _Ngh, oh_ … fuck me. Daryl, please!  _I want you!_ " She moaned in loss as his fingers left her, but soon they were replaced with something much bigger and more pleasurable. As the head of Daryl's cock slowly breached her, Anamika threw her head back, her eyes clenched shut as her breath shuddered out of her. Daryl had his face buried in her neck, his own breath shaky and groaning as he pushed into her, bottoming out inside her after a moment. They both paused, their breathing heavy as they just revelled in the feeling of each other. She felt so incredibly close to Daryl like this, as if he was telling her everything he can't seem to get past his lips, as if he was showing her the extent of his affection. A bubble of warmth was steadily growing in her chest and Daryl was the main reason for that unfamiliar feeling of deep affection to grow.

Then he was moving, pulling out and pushing back inside her with deep, sure strokes, the tip of his cock lightly bumping against her cervics, just enough to cause a pleasurable pain that had her gasping. He slowly sped up, encouraged by her moans, until the slap of his balls against her ass and their pleasure filled moans were the only noise in the room. Her fingers dug into his back as she clung to him, her high fast approaching and Daryl pumped into her harder as she clenched around his dick, her inner walls contracting in pleasure around his member. Then Daryl rolled his hips as he pushed into her, his pubic bone grinding against her clit and her eyes rolled back in her head as stars exploded behind her vision, her mouth open in a silent choked scream as her orgasm washed over her. Daryl was breathing heavily, groans buried in her hair as his hips stuttered as his own orgasm was triggered by the clenching of her walls. His hips jerked unevenly into her a few more times, prolonging her pleasure, before they both stilled, sweat beading on their bodies and breathing labored.

He finally rolled over, slipping from her as his chest rose and fell as he tried to catch his breath. His arm snaked out to drag her limp, satisfied body to his and she had no hesitation in cuddling the fuck out of him. Snuggling deeper into his embrace, she ignored his chuckle as the arms of morpheus soon dragged her under, his fingers tracing shapes on her back lulling her to sleep.

WD

Daryl lay staring at the ceiling, the dark-haired beauty lying in his arms sleeping peacefully. It was the early hours of the morning, but Daryl couldn't get his mind to calm down. When he had seen that walker bit Anamika, his heart had about stopped and the world had gone quiet. He had thought that he had lost her, that he was going to watch another person he cared about die in front of him and to be honest, he wasn't sure if he could live through that. Sure, he would survive it, but he wasn't sure how he would have kept going, kept having hope.

When Beth died, it had almost killed him. He had shut off from everyone else, he had walked for weeks with that festering pain inside his heart. Beth had helped him believe in not just others, but also in himself. She had him thinking that he might be a good man, that he was worth something more than just the messed up Dixon legacy his father and brother left behind. For that, he would always be grateful to her.

With Anamika, it was more like she knew him, inside and out. She shared her worries and past and didn't expect anything in return and that made him want to give her everything in return. He didn't think he could give her everything, though, someone like Rick or Glenn would probably be able to give her more, to give her the support she needed. He could protect her, not that she needed it, but he knew he wasn't the most emotionally supporting person there was; hell, he hated talking about feelings. It was only recently that he started accepting it from Rick and Carol, yet she had managed to crawl and claw her way into his mind and heart.

Hearing a soft murmur, he looked down to see her mumbling and smacking her lips lightly, her brow furrowing, before it smoothed out as he brush her hair away from her face, his finger tracing the bridge of her nose and cheekbone. The fact that his touch could calm her had something inside him lighten and suddenly, a lot of the things he had been worried about seemed irrelevant. He respected her enough to trust her to know what she wanted and if she went through the trouble of forcing him to accept that he wanted something more than friendship between them, then she probably wants him as much as he wants her.

He wasn't exactly sure what this was between them, as he had never bothered trying to get close to a woman before and never met someone he really wanted to get close to, but he was filling to follow this to the end, all the way to her becoming tired of him or to one of them dying. He just hoped to god it was him that went, as he couldn't take the thought of her dying. She seemed too strong, too beautiful and too full of life to die. He would do everything in his power to keep that from happening.

The sensation of her skin sliding against his had him looking down again to see her slowly blinking, her eyes sleepy as she yawned. Her hand came up from where it had been resting on his chest to rub her eyes, before it fell down again and she was blinking up at him. Looking into her blue eyes, he remembered how terrified she had been yesterday when she thought she had been bit, the tears glistening as she had bit her bottom lip in pain. That walker never should have gotten that close to her, hell, he shouldn't have left her alone to get surrounded.

But then again, he didn't leave her alone in the alley, she had gone off on her own, had run head first into that herd without checking for them. He felt anger start to thrum inside his body as he thought of her going off on her own, placing her life in danger and his expression morphed into a scowl.

"Why?" She blinked, seeming confused about his clipped question and he breathed in deeply through his nose, trying not to scream and yell at her.

"Why'd ya go off on your own?" A sheepish look came over her face and her eyes flickered away, but they met his gaze again when his arm tightened around her back and shoulder. He could see her biting her bottom lip, her eyes apologizing but it wasn't enough for him, he wanted to know what she risked her life for.

"Why?!" She looked down at his sharp tone, before glancing at him again and inhaling deeply. She mumbled something under her breath, but even Daryl's sharp hearing couldn't really make out what it was.

"What?"

"Uhm… I said, I saw a deer and I wanted to shoot it…" It took a moment for the hunter to wrap his mind around what she said, but when he did, he closed his eyes and exhaled heavily, irritation coursing through him. It was a good reason, the community alway needed food, though they weren't desperate yet, but he was just pissed she didn't warn him before going off on her own.

"Anamika, you can't ju-"

"I just wanted to give you a deer to make up for that time I stole some of yours!" His eyes flew open and instead of being touched by her admission, he became even more mad.

"Ya risked your life, to get a deer not for the people back home, but for me to make up for something that don't even matter no more?!"

"Daryl, it does ma-"

"It doesn't matter! Not enough to risk your life for it!" Daryl sat up, detangling himself from her and standing up from the bed, shrugging on his jeans in jerky moves.

"Daryl! I can take care of myself! I was out there for about two years, with no one to rely on, only myself and I did fine!"

"Yeah, you can take real good care of yaself, it wasn't as if a walker almost took a chunk outta your ankle!"

"Oh screw you Dixon, it didn't get me and you don't get to doubt me like that.  _I can take care of anything by myself!_ "

" _But ya don't have to anymore Anamika!"_ Something in Daryl's voice must have surprised her, because the woman Daryl was rapidly starting to care for stared at him in silence after his outburst, her eyes wide and shocked. Daryl felt something ballooning in his chest, growing and growing till it seemed to suffocate him.

He swallowed, his voice quiet when he spoke again, "Ya don't have to anymore. Don't you trust me?"

He couldn't look her in the eyes, ashamed of the weakness he was showing in front of her, that was clearly reflected in his choked voice and trembling body as he turned his back to her, running his hands through his hair. Though he wasn't looking at her, he could hear her getting up from the bed, the sheet dragging along the floor as she had it wrapped around her body in an attempt to cover her nudity.

"Daryl?" He hunched his shoulders further, as he couldn't bear looking at her, knowing she would see everything he was uncomfortable with showing, however, that didn't seem to phase her. Her arms wrapped around his middle, the sheet falling to the ground as her warm body pressed against his back and he could feel her nipples pressing into him as her hands splayed across his stomach. It took him back to when Beth had held him like this, comforting him, but this was so much more. This was closer, more intimate than he had ever been with anyone else. Her warmth soaked into him, causing him to unwillingly relax his muscles.

He cleared his throat, his voice softer than a whisper, "I just wanna know when you're going off on your own, just so I know where ya are in case something happens. I trust you to take care of yourself, but in this world it's always better to have a fallback…"

"Daryl, I'm sorry. I do trust you and I will tell you when I'm going out or wandering off, as long as you do the same for me. I guess… I guess I was just too caught up in catching that deer." Daryl scoffed, but the anger had left him and sighing deeply, he turned around, gathering her lean body in his arms and holding her tightly to him, his face buried in her hair. Breathing in deeply, he let her scent calm him, before he stood back. Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he reached down to take her hand, leading her back to the bed.

"C'mon, we still have a few hours to sleep." Anamika nodded, following him and climbing onto the bed to settle down beside him. He pulled her soft body closer to his, revelling in her warmth beside him. His lips twitched as she snuggled deeper into him and it wasn't long before he could hear her breathing deepen as she fell asleep. He placed his hand over hers, which was resting on his naked chest and it was only then that he realised something. He hadn't been wearing a shirt, she had taken it off during sex and he never put it back on. She hadn't said anything, but he had been standing with his back to her, there's no way she didn't see his scars.

He wanted to feel ashamed, angry, sure that she was disgusted with the ugly, angry marks that covered his back, but before he could work himself up into a state, he remembered her warm body pressed against his back, the way the sheet had dropped as she had wrapped her arms around him and her bare breasts and stomach pressing against his skin. She hadn't hesitated, didn't even mention it and that, more than anything, showed Daryl what she thought of them. To her, his scars weren't ugly or disgusting, it was just another part of him that she accepted without question. He closed his eyes, feeling humbled and awed that he could have such a woman in his arms and sleep came without trouble to him that night.

WD

Anamika sat silently, not moving as her body was pressed against a tree, her breathing slow and controlled and her ears catching every noise. Her prey walked closer, their steps slow and soft, but not soft enough to avoid her notice.

They came closer and she tensed, her body ready, and when her prey stalked past the tree, she jumped out, her hand snatching the rugged sheriff's hair as she bolted, her laughter trailing behind her.

Carl's indignant shout rose behind her and she could hear him pursuing her, but she was determined not to let him catch her. Her spoils clutched in her hand, she dodged to the side when Carl lunged for her, his fingers missing her by inches. He was a fast little blighter and she had to keep on her toes to avoid the teen, her smile stretching wider as she heard his laughter intermingled with threats.

Rounding a corner, she narrowly missed a body in front of her, doing a dizzying twirl to avoid crashing into Maggie as Glenn's eyes widened at the close call. Without stopping, she shouted an apology over her shoulder and kept going, knowing Carl was right behind her.

Carol was standing to one side, a laughing Judith in her arms as she smiled fondly at the scene, that became more common around Alexandria after Anamika had decided she needed to train Carl, but wanted to do it in a fun and unique way.

And so the game of "Snatch the Sheriff" started, only with her trying to grab Carl's hat without him noticing her and then Carl having to get it back, using whatever means possible. It had been about a week since her close call with the walker and her ankle was healed in her opinion, though it was still a mottled yellow color and twinged when she poked it, much to Daryl's exasperation.

Unfortunately for Carl, this meant she had a lot of pent up energy she needed to get rid of, hence her ambushing the poor boy. So far, he hadn't managed to get the hat back once, she had always given it back after he surrendered, lying on the ground with her foot on his neck.

"Dad, grab her!" Anamika had one second to process Carl's yell, before traitorous steel bands appeared in front of her, she skidded on her heels, trying to turn or slide beneath them, but she had noticed it too late and the next moment, her feet lifted off the ground as Rick's arms enclosed around her.

"Traitor! Cheater! You unholy sons of sin and hell! Bloody idjit, let me go!" Rick's deep chuckle filled her ears as Carl advanced slowly, a grin on his face as his hands were held up, knowing she could get loose if she really wanted to and so ready for anything she might pull.

"Nah, if I go out there, it will probably be with backup. What's the point of having comrades if I don't ask them to help me from time to time?"

"You chuckleheads better start praying, cause I'll whoop both your asses without breaking a sweat!"

"O yeah?" Carl had a gleam in his eyes that instantly had Anamika on guard, her eyes narrowing as her struggling ceased. Carl stepped forward slightly, his fingers wiggling at her and her eyes widened dramatically.

"NO. You little traitor, I told you in utmost confidence! You pinky swore and shaked spit hands on it to never tell a soul!"

Carl grinned, his eyes sparkling mischievously as he answered, "I'm not telling anyone. Not my fault if they happen to see it though."

With that, he lunged forward, tickling Anamika and despite her efforts to get loose, she couldn't help but squirm as she started laughing, her entire body spasming. Carl was relentless and Anamika knew she had to do something and quick if she wanted to get away. Luckily for her, she saw someone who could come to her rescue.

"Daryl! Daryl, help! The spawn of Satan is torturing me!"

"Hey!" Rick protested, but Anamika was focused on Daryl, who had stopped when he saw what was going on. Carl had paused, waiting to see what Daryl was going to do and Anamika smiled, sure victory was in her grasp. Daryl's eyes flicked to Carl, Rick and then her, before his lips twitched and he lifted one hand mockingly, wiggling his fingers in a wave, before he turned and strolled away.

Anamika's mouth dropped open.

Rick grinned.

Carl burst out laughing.

And she didn't even notice when the Sheriff's hat was liberated from her grasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some fun to lighten things up and keep it from becoming too serious, figure you guys are going to need it as we're close to getting back to canon again. Also, this is my last fully typed chapter I have, the next one is typed about halfway, so I need lots of motivation to pump out a few more chapters:)


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, sorry for the laaate update, I was working like crazy and I'm kinda worrying, since this is the last fully typed chapter I have. Usually I can type new chapters quite easily, but I also don't want it to feel rushed, so stress-ball alert. Help me inspire my muse by telling me what you're looking forward to seeing when we get back to canon events;)
> 
> This chapter focuses on developing some relationships, but we get back on track in the next chapter. Thanks for all the kudos, as well as to Leerna and pragmatica for commenting!!
> 
> Enjoy!

Daryl walked leisurely through the community, his lips still twitching from the sight of Anamika cornered by Carl with the help of Rick and being tickled. He loved seeing her with Carl, as the kid needed to be a kid again and she afforded him that opportunity.

Of course, it helped that it also relaxed her. He knew she was still twitchy inside the walls and uncomfortable around the towns people. Don't get him wrong, she loved the community and talked to the people, but she was always afraid she would do something horrible and so kept an emotional distance from most of them.

It was really only his group she truly mingled with and only really with him, Rick, the kids and Carol. She talked to the rest, but it seemed she had recognized something in them that caused her to be afraid that she'll hurt them. Though, he had seen her laughing with Abraham on occasion.

Another reason that scene lightened his heart, was the smile on Rick's face. He knew he should be jealous that his woman was in another man's arms, but Rick is his brother and he could see the stress this life and his leadership placed on him. It's been better lately, but he only truly relaxed when he was with his kids and Anamika had a way of bringing out the kid in Carl, which brought out the kid in Rick. All Daryl wants is for his family to be happy and safe and Anamika is providing that.

He knew he was going to pay though, for leaving her in their clutches and he didn't know whether to look forward to it or to dread it.

"Daryl!" He looked around, seeing Olivia coming closer and he stopped and waited for the woman to reach him.

"Sorry, I don't want to bother you, but Rick seemed busy and I just did a complete inventory of our supplies…"

Daryl grunted, motioning for her to continue and she swallowed nervously, adjusting her glasses, before soldiering on.

"The supplies you and Anamika brought in helped, but Denise has some specific medication she's running low on and though we're still set for a few weeks, food goes fast in a large community like this." Daryl nodded, his mind far away as he thought of where they could look. Seeing Olivia shift from foot to foot, he grunted lowly.

"Yeah, I'll talk to Rick, we'll go on a run sometime this week, hopefully find some stash or something somewhere. We haven't looked up west yet."

Olivia nodded and Daryl turned to walk away, his mind spinning over the new problem.

WD

Anamika lay gasping on the ground, her sides heaving as she side eyed the still widely grinning boy lying on the grass next to her. A toe nudging her side had her grunting as she squinted up at Rick, his eyes bright and a peculiar smile on his face. It immediately set her on guard and she narrowed her eyes at the words that came out of his mouth, knowing she had been right to be wary.

"So, you're ticklish? Good to know."

"What does that mean?" Rick just smiled at her again, that subtly devious glint in his eyes as he turned and wandered away. Anamika lifted her head, alarmed at his behaviour.

"Hey Rick!  _Rick!_  What does that mean?!  _RICK!_ " Their fearless leader just chuckled as he continued to walk away, and Anamika considered getting up and going after him, but finally dropped her head back to the ground, too worn out to bother right now. She turned her head to Carl, the infuriating boy still sporting a wide grin.

"This is all your fault you know."

"It was all in the name of training. You need to use your enemy's weakness against them, right?" Anamika paused mid-protest, then sullenly closed her mouth. She had taught the boy too well and she couldn't argue against him. Hearing footsteps, she saw Carol coming closer and before she had a chance to get up, a squirming Judith was straddling her, the little girl giggling as she sat on Anamika's stomach.

"I'm going to go see Olivia quickly, keep an eye on her?" Anamika had barely nodded before the short-haired woman was off and she turned her attention to the little girl who was playing with the strands of her hair that had come loose in her tussle with Carl. Pulling funny faces at the young girl, she couldn't help but smile widely at the adorable grin on her face and poked her nose, making funny noises.

Carl scooted closer, also playing with his sister, but it was evident that Judith was already worn out, as it didn't take her long to start blinking longer and slumping forward. With a wide yawn, the little girl rubbed her eyes and Anamika eased her down, nestling Judith's head into the crook of her neck. She rubbed her back softly till she heard the little girl's breath deepening and glanced at Carl, who nodded to signify Judith was asleep. Instead of getting up, she just relaxed back into the soft grass, the sun warming her body as she enjoyed being outside.

"Hey Anna?"

"Yeah?" Carl hesitated and she looked at him curiously, but waited patiently for him to speak. He opened his mouth, but at the last minute seemed to deflate.

"Nevermind, it's nothing. Stupid thought." She saw the way his hand twitched up to the bandage he wore again on his face, covering his scars and the way his face angled away from her, as if to hide that side of his face. She could guess what he wanted to ask.

"You don't need to be ashamed of it or hide it Carl. That scar shows how incredibly strong you are, what you survived and you should wear it as a badge of honour."

"But it's ugly…" His whisper was so soft she could barely hear it, but she did hear it.

"Who said that?" He looked uncomfortable, mumbling something about some housewife or other who had talked to someone else about how unsightly it was. Anamika scoffed, anger bubbling inside her at the ignorance of people.

"Then they're idiots. Your scar is not ugly, it's badass and I, for one, think you're rocking it. Never be ashamed of your scars Carl, they're your history, your survival record. Besides, I think it adds character to your face, gets rid of some of your baby fat."

Carl sputtered and Anamika laughed softly so as not to disturb Judith, but her heart lightened at the relieved grin Carl was sporting. He was one of the bravest kids she knew and she didn't like seeing him unhappy. She was just glad that her words got through to him and she vowed to always be there for him and to protect him from any harm.

"Hey Carl, your dad is looking for you. He's waiting by the infirmary, Denise wants to do one last check, just to make sure everything healed as it should have." Anamika glanced up to see Michonne blocking her sun, the woman's eyes focused on Carl. The teen nodded in acceptance, standing up and brushing the grass of his clothes, before he waved at Anamika and went on his way.

As Judith was still sleeping soundly, Anamika stayed where she was, but she was surprised when, instead of leaving, Michonne sat down besides her. After a moment of comfortable silence, she finally spoke up, her voice low.

"I heard what you said to Carl. That boy has been through so much and it's not been easy for him. This… This is just another obstacle in his path, but you managed to turn that around in his mind. T...Thank you. It's not always easy for me or Rick to tell him stuff like that and have him listen to us, because he never wants to let us down. I'm glad he could talk to you about it."

"Of course, Carl is like the little brother I'm not sure I ever had…" Anamika trailed off, conflicting emotions raging inside her at the thought of her lost memories and what she might have left behind. Michonne's voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned her attention back to the dreadlocked woman.

"So you really remember nothing about your past. Must be hard, but sometimes I wish I could just forget mine…" Anamika regarded Michonne closely, seeing the anguish in her eyes and feeling her heart break for the strong woman besides her. Michonne gently stroked Judith's soft hair and Anamika had an epiphany as she saw the sadness in her gaze.

"You lost a child…" Michonne glanced up sharply, but didn't deny it. She pursed her lips, before exhaling slowly.

"My son, Andre. He was three and I had left him with my boyfriend and his friend as I went out to hunt. When I came back…" Anamika stayed quiet, knowing there was nothing she could say to make it better. Michonne closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, composing herself, before her eyes opened again.

"My boyfriend had been high as a kite and hadn't been able to protect our son, much less himself. I watched him and his friend die and turn, then I cut of their arms and jaws and chained them. It was to punish myself and them, but it was only later that I realised they protected me, hid me from other walkers. Kind of made the punishment a moot point."

When it seemed like Michonne wasn't going to continue, Anamika breathed in deeply, exhaling harshly as she came to a decision.

"I killed 37 people before I arrived here. Most of them deserved it, men and women who tried to take advantage of me. Some were people who tried to keep me with them once they saw my skill, who didn't want to let go. But some, some I don't know if they were bad or good, I simply killed them because I couldn't take the chance and they weren't backing off. There was one couple, however, that I killed in the beginning. I had travelled with them and I knew how to survive, to fight, but they didn't."

Anamika paused, remembering their frightened faces, but Michonne's quiet support allowed her to continue. She had only told Daryl of this before and though she was fairly sure Daryl told Rick, she wasn't sure if Rick told Michonne.

"After a particularly nasty fight with a group of dead, they tried to kill me, as they were afraid after seeing what I could do. But… I killed them before they could kill me. It messed me up, made me doubt myself and avoid joining any group in fear that I would lose control again. It took Aaron to get me here and Daryl to get me to see that I wasn't to blame in that situation, though I still think I could have reacted differently. You have a chance here to move on and though I'm not saying those memories don't hurt, they don't have to stop you from making new ones."

Michonne nodded, her eyes bright and lip trembling ever so slightly as she cleared her throat. Leaning over, she eased Judith off Anamika's chest, cradling the girl's sleeping body against her as she stood. Anamika stood as well, as it had started to get chilly and she wasn't wearing a jacket. Right before Michonne walked away, she paused, her dark eyes piercing Anamika.

"Thank you." Anamika nodded as the woman walked away, a smile on her face, before she made her way to her house, intent on tracking down a certain traitorous bastard.

WD

Daryl finally entered his house, his body weary after spending the day helping out around Alexandria and finalizing some details about a run with Rick. It was dark and he assumed Carol was at Tobin's again, but he was surprised Anamika wasn't back yet. Instead of turning on the lights, he just made his way to his bedroom, too worn to bother now and all he wanted was a shower and his bed.

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he entered his room and he had a split second to realise he wasn't alone and curse at himself for leaving his crossbow by the bedroom door before someone was on his back, muscular arms wrapped around his neck and powerful legs clenched around his hips. He stumbled with the extra weight, but soft lips nipping at his ear had him pausing and it only took him another second to recognize the scent that surrounded him and for his body to tense for an entirely different reason.

"Well, what do we have here? A traitorous rat, a betraying bastard. Whatever shall I do with you?" Anamika's voice was sultry, her breasts pressed tightly against his back as she ground herself lightly into him. He groaned, his hands clenching on her thighs as he tried to control his breathing. He grunted as she bit down on his neck, nipping the skin before soothing it with her tongue and he felt all his blood rush south.

'Hmmm, delicious. But you have been incredibly naughty, leaving me to the two demons and their satanic fingers, tut tut." Daryl scoffed, choking back a laugh at Anamika's ridiculous words and he could feel her grinning against his neck, where she was still nurturing a hickey.

Having enough of her teasing, he poked one finger in her side, where he now knew she was ticklish and as her body flinched automatically, he grabbed her waist and slid her around, holding her against his front.

"Hmmm, I think if you really wanted, ya could have escaped Rick and Carl yourself." He bent forward, kissing down her jawline to her neck to her collarbone. She trembled in his arms as she gasped, her head tilting back to give him more room to work with.

"Tha-that's not the p-point,  _ah_ , you were su-supos-  _oh god_ \- supposed to be on m-my side.  _Daryl_." Daryl ignored her, steadily making his way own to her breasts, but before he could reach them, her legs slipped from his waist and she spun him around, pushing him down on the bed.

"I have to punish you for not helping me. Don't worry, I'm sure  _I'll_ enjoy it." She stood back, slowly slipping her shirt off as she kept her eyes trained on his. He swallowed thickly as the completely impractical black lace bra was revealed and wondered where on earth she had even found the thing. He started to sit up, but she held up a warning finger.

"Ah ah ah ahah. None of that mister. No touching, only looking." Huffing, he sat back, his eyes narrowed as she toed off her boots, taking off one sock then the other while keeping her eyes on him. He saw her biting her lip as she teasingly slipped her pants down her long legs and he about choked.

Good lord, she had matching black lace panties.

"You like them? I especially searched through my stash to find them for you…" Daryl swallowed, he liked them very much, as the smooth, lean skin of her body stood out in mouth watering contrast to the black of her underwear. She was all curves and muscles, the contradiction not making sense in his head, but making sense when it came to her. The silvery scars he could see on her body didn't even matter and now he know how she felt the other night. They were just another part of her for him to worship.

She stalked closer, her movements graceful and predatory and pushed him down on the bed from where he had sat up to see her better. Climbing on, she crawled forward till her knees was on either side of his hips, carefully keeping her body from touching him except where her knees pressed against his side. He lifted his hands to place them on her waist, but she stopped him once again.

"No touching  _darlin'_ " Daryl huffed as his hands fell back to the bed, his fingers clenched in the sheets. Anamika's hands was in her hair, shaking it loose after she removed the hair tie, before they trailed down her body, smoothing over her breasts and sides as her eyes gazed intensely at him. One of her hands travelled back up to pinch a nipple through the sheer fabric of her bra, while another slowly cupped her sex.

"M-Mika…"

"Nope, you're only allowed to watch, not touch. It wouldn't be punishment otherwise right." Daryl felt a twinge in his chest, a flash of doubt lancing through him, that maybe he had gone too far or-

Her hand slipped inside her black panties and the lace was so thin he could practically see her finger pressing down on her clit, rubbing a slow circles as she gasped and shuddered. Her hand left her panties and she reached behind her, unhooking her bra and slipping it off tantalizingly slow, before tossing it over her shoulders.

Her breasts now bare to his gaze had him salivating and twitching to touch her, the need so strong he thought he might go mad without it. He swallowed and his hand rose again involuntarily, but her sharp voice had him flinching back, her words stern, "Don't you dare touch me Daryl Dixon!"

He looked up to see her eyes trained on him in a smoldering gaze as she massaged her breasts, moaning as she bit her bottom lip and Daryl felt self-doubt creep up on him again.

She didn't want him to touch her. Maybe she was really angry with him and only mocking him with this now, while he would never be allowed to touch her again. He withdrew into himself, his old self-hatred rearing its head as he grew more uncertain. Maybe he had misjudged, maybe she didn't care for him the way he did her. He didn't believe that their entire relationship was based on sex, at least not anymore, but it made him feel stupid and used when she didn't allow him to touch her while so clearly tempting him to.

He guess she must have seen the uncertainty and vulnerability in his eyes, because the next moment he had a lapful of Anamika, her body pressed tightly against his as her arms wound around his neck. He kept his hands away from her sides, afraid that she still didn't want his touch, but her eyes were no longer playful and sultry, instead they were serious and gentle at the same time, a contradiction just like everything else about her.

"What's wrong?" He swallowed, not sure if he can articulate what he was feeling, as words weren't his best weapon, but he knew he had to try, if only to be sure where she stood with him.

"Not allowed to touch ya. Are ya just mocking me? Gonna rile me up and then leave me?" She seemed surprised, as if the thought never occurred to her and that made him feel a bit better, but still not entirely sure of himself.

"Daryl, I'll never use sex as a punishment. I might tease you as I'm doing now, torture you a bit, but I'll never withhold sex from you unless I'm not feeling well; I certainly will never rile you up on purpose and then deny you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to appear like I was maliciously playing around with you.  _I'm yours, whenever and wherever._ "

He could see the sincerity in her eyes, the apology as she hugged him tightly and he knew that he didn't need to worry. He leaned his head up and she willingly kissed him, their tongues intertwining. He pulled back, seeing her swollen lips and dazed expression and he smirked, smug that he was the cause of it. Rolling them over, he leaned over her, kissing her neck before whispering in her ear, " _Whenever and wherever?"_

" _Always."_

She gasped as he nipped her neck, his mouth travelling down, ravishing each breast before moving down even further. And when he reached his destination and was tongue deep inside her with her fingers clutching his hair and her body arching up as she cried out, he knew it was true in the reverse as well.

He was hers, whenever and wherever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I managed to convey in a convincing way how uncertain Daryl still is in their relationship. He's not one to talk about his feelings, so it's a bit difficult to show his struggle without some physical outlet for him and I don't want him and Anamika to fight if it's not about something important, since Daryl also isn't the impulsive hothead he was anymore. Hope you liked it, we get back to canon next chapter:D


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the loooong wait, my laptop screen cracked and though it was manageableat first, it became impossible when someone pressed on it in a moment of thoughtlessness. So I've been sans laptop and notes etc since and I'm probably only going to be able to buy a new one in a month or so, depending on circumstances.
> 
> So I typed up a short filler chapter on a laptop I borrowed until I get my new one and manage to navigate the abyss of my cracked screen in an attempt to regain my notes, but no worries, this story is not abandoned and if I can't get my old notes, I'll just make new ones. I hope you all understand.
> 
> Thanks for the kudos, as well as to pragmatica and Smdoo for commenting. The canon events are DEFINITELY coming next chapter, even if it might take a little longer.
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika sighed as she lounged on the thick tree branch, languidly soaking in the warmth of the sun, enjoying the tranquil silence around her. She was completely alone, about half a mile outside of Alexandria's walls and she loved the solitude. Though she was getting more used to living in a community and being around a large group of people, she still sought moments like these, where it was just her and her thoughts.

Daryl understood this need and as long as she agreed to carry a radio with her when she went outside on her own, he didn't nag her too much. After all, he wasn't trying to control her and he knew how stifling it could get inside the walls, surrounded by shallow people and their petty problems. Though the residents of Alexandria had gotten a lot better after the attack of the Wolves and the walker invasion, there was still moments that had Anamika wanting to pull out her hair.

This morning had been especially bad, as the Betty Crocker down the road had pitched a fit when Olivia told her there wasn't anymore sugar for her coffee and that she'd have to make do without. Such instances where rare and it was quickly resolved with Michonne's calm words and authoritative constable jacket, but it had served as a reminded that though they had seen a hint of what the world was like now, not everyone had come around to the cold hard truth of their reality.

Grabbing her weapons and a radio, Anamika had told Daryl and Rick where they could find her and had left the safety of the walls. Reaching the familiar spot she had used before when things become too overwhelming, she climbed to her branch and stretched out, enjoying what nature had to offer her. The occasional walker rarely ambled past below her, unaware of the potential meal above their head and she let them go, knowing they posed no threat to her or the community, not in their small numbers.

It was exactly like this that Sasha found her, almost asleep on her branch and the scowling woman paused beneath her tree.

"You could get killed, letting your guard down like that. Someone could sneak up on you."

Opening one eye lazily, she regarded the irritated woman closel, having not had much interaction with her at all. She knew Sasha was part of Rick's group and had greeted her on the occasion she took over for her on watch, but the woman wasn't much for small talk or company.

"Hmm, I heard you making your way here seven minutes ago from the north-east direction. There is a walker just south from here, my guess is about thirty yards out. A rabbit is about ten yards west from her, or at least, some creature about the size and weight of a rabbit."

Sasha turned south, her eyes straining to see through the foliage and her body alert, trying to hear and see the walker Anamika told her about. Taking her gun out of her holster, Anamika cocked her head, letting the sounds of nature fill her ears. She guessed the walker must have heard them talking or something, because it was making its way towards them, though it was too far for Sasha to see or hear it unless she was actively listening for it. Sitting up, she lifted her rifle, knowing she would need the power and the bigger rounds for what she wanted to do.

Adjusting her seat, she made sure she was secure on her branch. Closing her eyes, she turned all her attention to her hearing, picking out the unnatural sounds of a walker ambling closer to her position. Lifting her rifle, she aimed in the direction it was coming from and then paused, listening closer. She'd have to react quickly when she fired the first shot. Honing in on the position of the walker, she aimed and fired.

The sound of a particular bone snapping and the walker stumbling, immediately told Anamika that she shot it near the left of it's sternum, since it wasn't knocked back entirely like being shot in the centre would and the sound of twigs snapping told her to what side the walker stumbled, meaning she shot the opposite side. She had no idea where she learned this skill, since she had it since she woke up, but she's always been grateful for it.

Adjusting her aim, she fired her second shot before the walker could take another step and was rewarded with the satisfying thunk as the walker fell to the ground. Staying alert for another minute, she made sure it didn't get back up, ignoring the sound of Sasha making her way towards the place the walker went down. Finally opening her eyes, she couldn't see Sasha anymore, the thick foliage obscuring her and she knew if she had fired with a handgun, her bullet would never have made the journey to the walker as true as her rifle's bullet did.

Finally, Sasha came back, seeming reluctantly impressed, though it soon disappeared as she regarded Anamika.

"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" Anamika shrugged, truly not knowing the answer, but Sasha didn't seem to mind. Before Sasha could comment further, another sound caught Anamika's attention. In fact, a lot of sounds caught her attention. Her head snapping around, she had just enough time to curse as a buck came charging through the brush, its eyes rolling wildly as it disappeared as fast as it appeared. But it was not the buck that concerned her, it was the seeming horde of walkers that stumbled after it. From what she could hear, it seemed like there was at least two dozen, if not more.

"Sasha, a herd is coming." Sasha had her gun raised and she looked ready to take every walker down herself. In an instant, Anamika knew Sasha wouldn't come back with her to Alexandria, despite it being safer. It wasn't as if Alexandria couldn't handle a measly twenty-something walkers, hell, Anamika and Sasha could handle them if they played their cards right, but she also knew Daryl would have her head if they did that.

Seeing the stubborn tension in Sasha's shoulders, Anamika sighed and lifted her radio.

"A calling watchtower, do you copy?"

"I copy you, what's up?" Rolling her eyes at Tara's cheerful voice coming over the radio, Anamika quickly relayed her message, wanting to get off the radio air before Daryl answered.

"Small herd heading to Alexandria, Sasha and I am going to lead them away and take care of them. Don't worry, it's an absolutely tiny herd, actually a disgrace to the term herd."

"Ann-  _Mika, wait for m-_ " Quickly turning the radio off, she ignored Daryl's voice that interrupted Tara, knowing he was going to be angry with her, but she couldn't leave Sasha on her own out here and the more people came, the more chance there was of someone getting hurt. Sasha had been a lot better since her run with Abraham, but she wasn't completely recovered and sometimes still lost herself when she got focused on walkers, her hate for the undead showing. Not that Anamika could blame her, both her boyfriend and brother died after being bit, according to Carl.

"Sasha, we're going to lead them away to the clearing about a mile south-west from here. I'm going to lead them there, you go ahead and get a good position. Out in the open, it'll be easier to gun them down and separate them, less places for them to hide."

For a moment she thought Sasha was going to ignore her, but then the woman nodded and began jogging away immediately. Wanting to give her a bit of a headstart, Anamika waited till the walkers was closer and when she saw the first one breaking through the foliage, she whistled loudly, capturing its attention. With a loud snarl, it came towards her and she turned and ran, making sure they were following her, but not too close to be a danger.

She finally burst through the trees, seeing Sasha crouched at the far side of the clearing on a small knoll, her sight lines perfect from where she was. Ducking to the side, she slid around a large tree before the walkers could see where she went. Hearing a shot, quickly followed by another, she cringed, realising Sasha didn't have a silencer on her sniper. This was going to draw more walkers towards them, making this entire endeavour pointless. Trusting that Sasha hadn't gotten too far in the zone yet, Anamika darted out from behind the tree, circling around behind the walkers, who had all made it into the clearing by now, and waved towards Sasha. As she expected, the stern woman immediately stopped firing for fear of hitting Anamika.

Moving down the walkers with her machete, she took down about five before the herd realised there was someone behind them. Making a quick headcount, she saw there was still about eighteen left, all of them now focused on her. Killing another one coming up on her, she pulled out her hunting knife in her other hand. She started moving down walkers, though it was slow going, as she had to keep moving away to create space and to disorientate the creatures. It wasn't long before Sasha joined her, her furious face painting quite the picture.

"No silencer, your gunfire would just have drawn more." As if lured by her observation, another five walkers stumbled from the forest and Anamika just hoped this didn't turn into a full-scale herd. She threw her silenced pistol at Sasha, impressed when the woman nimbly caught it as if she wasn't fighting walkers, but she had to turn her attention back to her own fight.

The women split up, splitting the remaining walkers as well and making it a lot easier to take them all down. It took some ridiculous dancing around and Anamika felt like a ballerina as she pirouetted around one walker while kicking another to the ground. A manic grin was stretched across her face and she knew this was exactly the type of release she needed.

Seeing a walker come up bhind Sasha with the woman unaware and focused on another two in front of her, she kicked a walker coming up on her side to the ground and threw her knife taking the walker ambushing Sasha out. The woman whirled towards her, her gun raised and she shot the walker that Anamika had kicked down, as it was starting to get up. Only then did she glance behind her to see the dead walker with a throwing knife sticking out of its head.

Breathing in deeply, Anamika realised all the walkers were dead and that she still had that silly grin stretched across her face. It took her a moment to realise that Sasha was also grinning as her chest heaved and she blinked, the two of them just staring at one another. A snort escaped Anamika, causing Sasha to chuckle unexpectedly and soon both were laughing in exhilaration, their blood pumping and adrenaline causing their bodies to tremble.

It was to that sight that Daryl, Rick, Abraham and Glenn emerged from the forest to, the four men blinking as the watched the two woman laughing insanely with more than thirty walkers strewn across the clearing. Sighing, Rick pinched the bridge of his nose while Abraham just whistled appreciatively and Glenn gaped, his eyes wide as she silently counted all the bodies. Anamika's laughter cut of abruptly, however, when she saw the furious glint in Daryl's eyes, she cringed, shuffling closer to Sasha and trying to hide behind her. Unfortunately, her shield shifted away, another chuckle leaving her lips.

"Nu uh, don't you hide behind me from lover boy. Take it like a woman." Sighing, she threw a mock betrayed expression towards Sasha, taking comfort on the determined way Rick strode over to Sasha, knowing she was not the only one going to get chewed out. As if walking to the gallows, she kept her head held high and her shoulders hunched in, warily eying the fuming hunter.

She knew it wasn't that he didn't trust her skills or wanted to protect her from all danger, but she also knew that she didn't have to do stuff like this alone anymore. They had an entire group to call on and had they waited a few more moments or even just headed back to Alexandria, this would have been handled so much safer. Coming to a stop in front of him, she tried to gauge what his mood was, if he just wanted to rage, ignore her or silently bury her body somewhere no one would ever find it.

Taking a deep breath, Daryl turned on his heel and strode away, his movements jerky and angry. She winced, absolutely furious then, but not quit yet homicidal. Sharing a helpless glance with Sasha, who was being berated by Rick, she silently commiserated their bad luck with the other woman before following Daryl. Walking silently for a few minutes, she couldn't take Daryl's angry silence, the distance between them any longer. Reaching out, she lightly touched his elbow and jerking, he whirled around, his eyes angry and frustrated, but also filled with fear and desperation. It gave her insight into the worry he might have felt, because going up against a herd with only two people was not only insanely risky and stupid, it was outright suicidal and unnecessary.

Waiting, she watched as he breathed deeply, his shoulders finally slumping as he exhaled.

"Why?"

Why did you risk your life like that? Why didn't you come back to Alexandria? Why did you not listen to me? Why did you not  _wait_ for me?

She swallowed, feeling horrible for the terror she had put him through. Her throat was dry and though she knew it was merely an excuse, it was all she could get out.

"I didn't want to leave Sasha alone." She could see Daryl wasn't convinced, as he knew she could have forced Sasha back if she really wanted to. Instead she didn't even try, pumped up and ready for a fight to get her adrenaline running. She hated the slump to his shoulders, the way his terror compelled him to scan her body for injuries, but she waited for him to talk first.

"Just… wait for me next time a'right?" She nodded and gratefully stepped into Daryl's embrace, ignoring the fine tremor in his body that was already fading away. Sighing contently, she leaned up to kiss him, the kiss deep and filled with emotion. Breaking away, she smiled at Daryl, getting a lip twitch in response. Separating, they both made their way back to Alexandria.

Looking down, she grimaced at the thick coating of gore and blood covering her arms and clothes and resolved to take a shower as soon as she arrived back. Who knows, maybe she could even convince Daryl to join her, she thought with a wicked grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed that, sorry for how short it is and for the wait until the next chapter. I'll post it as soon as I get my new laptop!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back! So, I FINALLY got a laptop, after a series of unfortunate events that kept pushing it back and back. I got you guys a nice long chapter as a reward for being so patient and we're finally back to canon events, though the interesting stuff is going to start happening now.
> 
> I really hope you guys enjoy it and thanks so much to everyone who left kudos and comments, I love you guys!
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika moaned, her eyes squeezed shut as she gripped the sheets in clenched fists.

"Mika…"

Daryl's husky voice assaulted her ears and she groaned, squirming in place.

"Mika…"

She sighed, the warmth of Daryl's body enveloping her and his scent surrounding her.

"Mika… we need to get up."

"Just five more minutes…" Anamika groaned, snuggling deeper into Daryl's chest as she tried to catch the last remnants of her escaping sleep. She moaned as her comfy pillow shifted, sighing exasperatingly at her as she clenched the sheets in her fists to prevent her personal hot water bottle's escape.

"Mika, we're going on a run with Rick today, we need ta get up." The woman cracked an eye open, rubbing her cheek and nose against Daryl's shirt as she hitched a leg up over his hip, pinning him in place.

"But I'm soooo sleepy…" Daryl's low chuckle caused her lady bits to tingle pleasantly and she slowly girated her hips against his side. If she was going to get up, she needed some motivation. Daryl's warning growl of "Mika" was ignored as she slipped her hand under his shirt, trailing it up his chest. His hand on her hip clenched, pressing her closer to him and she mouthed at his neck.

Suddenly, he rolled her over, his lips plundering hers as he pinned her hands above her head. She moaned as his hips ground into her centre, the only thing separating them being the thin material of his boxers and her barely there panties. Her mind started to go hazy as he kissed her breathless, but just when she was getting ready to force him on his back, he rolled off her and stood up, smirking down at her as he righted his shirt.

"Get up, we need to meet Rick in ten." Anamika growled, flopping back on the bed in irritation as Daryl chuckled at her while dressing. The annoying bastard seemed to love getting her all riled up and then leaving her flustered and aroused. It's been a week and a half since she 'punished' him for not saving her from Carl and Rick's clutches and since he seemed to revel in frustrating her, usually getting her all worked up in the morning and then leaving her high and dry.

Of course, usually she was so frustrated and aroused by the time night fell she about attacks him, which she thinks is his goal, because he was still reluctant about initiating sex. She had thought it would get better after her near death experience and all that, but he still seemed uncertain. This didn't really bother her, as she didn't mind starting things and he had no trouble taking charge once they were going at it, which led to some enjoyable nights.

"Mika…" Daryl's warning growl had her sighing, before she sat up, running her hands through her messy bed head.

"I know, I know, I'm coming." She got dressed in record time, eyeing Daryl's butt the entire time. It was a rare specimen even when covered by pants and she took every moment to ogle it. He had caught her doing it several times, but he just rolled his eyes and ignored her, knowing she won't listen to anything he says. They left the house and Anamika left Daryl with Denise, who had come up to him to go over some of the things that was crucial to find on this run.

She took a moment to coo over Judith, who was playing on the front lawn with Tara and Maggie watching over her, before heading to the car where she could already see Rick waiting. She threw her backpack of emergency snacks and supplies into the back of the car, sliding in and making herself comfortable as she saw Daryl finally coming. As soon as Daryl got in, Rick pulled away, heading towards the front gate as a comfortable silence took over the car.

Eugene was on duty this morning, but it was only when he leaned against Daryl's window and handed over a piece of paper, that Anamika turned her attention to him.

"I mapped out some of the agricultural supply places in the area. Even if they've been cleaned out, my bet is that the sorghum would be untouched. Now that there is a criminally underrated grain that could change-"

Anamika's attention wandered, long since used to Eugene's odd way of speaking and uninterested in his rambling, as she now knew what the paper was and just wanted to be on her way. She pulled a face at Carl who she saw walking by across the street, grinning when he pulled one back at her as Rick and Daryl indulged Eugene's ramblings in their own baffled way. Finally, it seemed Eugene was satisfied they knew the utmost importance of sorghum and left them to it, the car finally leaving the gates and weaving between the cars that blocked vehicles and walkers from having a straight shot at their gates.

They turned at the road leading west and Anamika settled back into her seat, watching the road fly by.

"Today's the day," Rick suddenly spoke up, but Anamika left Daryl to answer, her mind more focused on daydreaming about last night with Daryl than the men's conversation, "Gonna find food, maybe some people. Law of averages, gotta catch up."

Daryl grunted, his own gravelly voice vaguely catching her attention before her mind wandered off again. "I don't know, we ain't seen anybody for weeks. Maybe we ain't gonna find nobody, maybe that's a good thing."

Anamika sat up at that, her brow furrowed. She knew Daryl still held a grudge towards the couple that robbed him and the people that tried to kill him, Sasha and Abraham, but she didn't realise it extended towards all other survivors. She leaned forward, placing her chin on the back of his seat, her cheek almost pressed against him. She could feel the warmth radiating from his skin, but refrained from saying anything. She'd rather have this conversation with him without an audience, no matter how much she trusted Rick. She didn't want Daryl to feel as if they were ganging up on him.

Rick glanced at them, seeming a bit concerned, but it seemed he also decided to let it go for now. Instead, he leaned forward to grab a CD and Anamika couldn't help but smirk as Daryl's head immediately turned,his expression as close to alarmed as Daryl could be.

"Don't."

"Please don't." Anamika grinned wider, inwardly cackling at hearing Daryl Dixon beg and even say please.

~Gimme the downbeat maestro~

When Rick started snapping his fingers to the beat of the song, Anamika's face about split in two, and she could see from Daryl's expression that it was just adding insult to injury. He did not seem amused and Rick's obvious pleasure at his pained and surly expression had Anamika cackling, even more so when Rick stated it was all for the purpose of calling the walkers away from Alexandria.

~Yeah, if y'r music's gonna move me

I just gotta feel the beat

Nothing slow and for the heart

I want a beat for the feet~

Anamika laughed and sang along, only knowing every second word, but making a good show of it. Daryl seemed to sink further into his seat, his expression disgruntled while Rick grinned smugly, silently laughing at his brother.

She finally stopped, though the song kept going, giving Daryl a barely there peck on the cheek and sat back, smiling as she looked out the window. It seemed he had retreated into a sullen silence, but luckily there was no tension in the car and Anamika was free to daydream again, this time thinking of new strategies to show Carl next time she 'trained' him.

It was a few minutes later that her eye caught a turnoff that led to a big barn that had the word SORGHUM painted on it and she sat forward, giving Rick a tap on the shoulder and gesturing towards the building that was basically a neon sign. The car squealed to a stop, before Rick placed it in reverse and Anamika had to admire the complete ease with which he did it. It wasn't long before they were parked outside the storage facility and she followed Daryl and Rick out of the cars, checking to make sure she had her weapons on her and her machete in her hand.

After Rick checked around the sides of the building and Daryl managed to wrestle the crowbar out of his backpack, Anamika looked towards Daryl, who gave her a nod as he walked towards the door and called out to Rick, "Hey hold up, it's best to be safe! Covered?"

"I got you Katniss." Anamika grinned at the glare Daryl threw her and Rick's amused expression, but soon both her and Rick took up their positions and she lifted her pistol from the holster on her thigh, aiming it at the door Daryl was going to open. Her face twitched at the noise it made, but luckily there didn't seem to be any walkers around.

Rick also reached that conclusion after peering into the darkness besides the van that was parked inside, as he stated they were good and so Anamika focused her attention on the van that they would check next.

"One more time." Daryl nodded as Rick gestured to the van and they repeated the process, the incident with Daryl and Aaron fresh on her mind and probably on Daryl's as well.

"It ain't locked…" Anamika narrowed her eyes, as that could either mean it was untouched or it could mean it was a trap. Nevertheless, she was ready for anything that might come out the back of the van, but what she wasn't ready for, was the stockpile of food and necessities. It almost rivaled her truck when she first arrived in Alexandria.

"Well, how bout that." Anamika whooped, not even listening to Rick's words, jumping up into the back of the van and digging around, cataloging all the stuff she could see. It was mostly canned and dry food, toiletries and tools, but it was enough to boost the communities dwindling food stock a good bit. She was aware of Rick speaking to Daryl as he picked up some toothpaste and she grinned, knowing he was thinking about Michonne when looking at the tube.

"Let's get this thing going, grab our gear, come back for the car later. Take another way back, see what we can see."

Think it's gonna start?" Daryl asked as he closed the back of the van.

"Yeah, I do." The utter confidence in Rick's voice had Anamika smiling, knowing that the man had been more hopeful lately and it was great to see someone she considered family so happy. Rick always seemed to carry the weight of the world, but lately she could see a light in his eyes that she had never realised he was capable of. She could see how he managed to inspire the entire group to follow him.

When the van did indeed start and they reversed it out of the barn, Anamika eyed the front seats, before looking at Rick and Daryl.

"Those front seats look quite cosy for three people. How about I take our car and follow you guys, while you take the van. I don't think I can take your combined man sweat in such close quarters." Both men looked at her amused, but Rick nodded and Daryl just grunted as he climbed into the passenger seat of the van.

"Yeah, sure. Keep close." Anamika nodded, acknowledging the unspoken warning in Rick's words. Though he was more optimistic these days, it wasn't as if he completely disregarded the danger out there. She made her way back to the car, sliding into the driver's side and following the van down the road. Since they were far away from home and there was no Daryl in the car to annoy, she turned the music off, instead just relaxing and enjoying the drive.

It wasn't often that she drove cars anymore, as Daryl was usually the one driving while she kept an eye out for unfriendlies, but she really did enjoy it. With no traffic, no speed limits and no people around, it was even better, relaxing her mind as she almost drove on automatic. It was a calming state she only usually reached when lying in Daryl's arms or tracking an animal and she enjoyed not being on high alert for a change.

It wasn't long before she saw a rundown gas station coming up and when she saw the van pulling over, she slowed down, parking behind the old black SUV. Shutting the door behind her, she saw that both men were preoccupied with an old vending machine, so instead she headed towards the small store, knocking on the door and waiting to hear any walkers. When none emerged from the darkness, she glanced back to see that Daryl was wrapping chains around the vending machine, that they attached to the van and she decided they seemed to be doing fine on their own.

Grabbing the crowbar Daryl placed on the ground, she looked around to make sure nothing was near, before she swung it and smashed open the glass doors. Daryl glanced her way, as Rick was in the van by now, but seemed unconcerned. She ignored the noise they were making as they turned the machine over and instead headed into the store after breaking most of the jagged glass edges away. Pulling a flashlight from her backpack, she clicked it on and started browsing through the racks. There was some stuff, but evidently someone had taken most of the goods at the start of the apocalypse.

What she did find was some bars of candy and a bottle of water, some smokes and one packet of beef jerky, but nothing really amazing. It was as she was looking for matches and some batteries that she heard the commotion outside. Anamika's head snapped up as she heard Daryl yelling, followed by Rick's authoritative voice and then an unfamiliar one. Crouching, she crept to the front of the store, deciding against rushing out as she didn't know what the situation was and if she would make it worse.

The glass was stained and cracked, causing her vision to be distorted, but she could see that Daryl and Rick was holding a man at gunpoint. The man had long hair, wore a cloth across the lower part of his face and dark clothes that had Anamika wondering how he didn't get a heatstroke wearing that beanie and black trench coat.

"-was just running from the dead." Anamika's eyes narrowed at what the guy said, scared they might have a herd on their tails. Evidently, Daryl had the same thought and she saw Rick backing up to the side of the building.

"How many?"

"Ten, maybe more. I'm not risking it, once it gets to double digits, I start running."

"Where?"

"About half a mile back. They headed this way, probably have about… eleven minutes?" Frowning, she slowly made her way out of the store, her gun up and aimed at the back of his head. He hadn't realised she was there yet, but Daryl's eyes flicked to hers and the guy took a step to the side, turning his body so that he could see behind him while still keeping Daryl and Rick in his sights. She was impressed that he had picked up Daryl's slight eye movement and realised there was something behind him.

His eyes seemed to widen slightly when he caught sight of her, but other than that he didn't react at all to the fact that he was outnumbered three to one. Rick gazed at him a bit, before he nodded slowly.

"Ok… Thanks for letting us know." Though Rick lowered his python, Anamika was still suspicious and she saw Daryl also seemed unwilling to take his eyes off the man.

"Yeah...There's more of them than us right. Gotta stick together. Right?" When Daryl finally unwillingly lowered his weapon, Anamika pursed her lips but followed suit. The guy seemed ok, though it made her antsy that she couldn't see any weapons on him. For her, that threw up a giant red flag, but she decided it didn't matter, as they probably won't see the guy again after today.

"You have a camp?" The question immediately had her hackles rising and her hand clenched around the gun subtly, but she stayed quiet, letting Rick and Daryl handle this. Her eyes was pinned on his straight, clean hair, his relatively nice clothes and just the way he stood…

Eyes narrowing, her head tilted and she saw the man's eyes flicking towards her nervously, even as he continued this back and forth with Rick and Daryl. She, however, was too focused on trying to read him to pay attention to what they were saying and it made her even more suspicious when she could barely read him. She didn't think he was a bad guy, but there was also something in his manner… It was too confident, but not the malicious confidence of the saviors she encountered some time ago.

Her eyes followed him as he walked away, her body still tense, but she glanced at Rick when he spoke up again instead of just letting the guy leave.

"I'm Rick. This is Daryl, that's Anna. What's your name?" The man paused and Anamika backed up to Daryl's side, standing so close she could feel the warmth radiating from his skin.

"Paul Rovia. But my friends used to call me Jesus. Your pick." Anamika scoffed and Daryl's eyes flicked to hers, but the situation was too serious for him to smile at her disbelief.

"You said you didn't have a camp, you on your own?"

"Yeah." Well, if he didn't have a camp, he at the very least had a very nice hide out, because no one stayed that clean on the road. However, Anamika could understand his reluctance to say much, as he didn't know them.

"Still, best not to try anything." Turning away from the stand-off between the men and Rick's determination to recruit new people, she bent down to examine the contents of the vending machine, seeing more candy bars and sodas. Finally, Jesus left and though she found it odd that he left around the side of the building, which would lead in the direction he came from, she decided maybe he was just going to follow the road, as walkers would continue in a straight line unless something captures their attention.

She was vaguely aware of Daryl and Rick talking about 'Jesus' and though she agreed with Rick that there was more going on than meets the eye, she also decided she didn't really care one way or another. Let them decide what to do. She smiled as she caught sight of a Kit Kat bar, her mouth already watering, but the sounds of gunshots echoing from behind the building had her head shoot up.

The three of them rushed around the side, ready to see walkers and other people, but not ready to see some firecrackers on a trash can. Anamika felt her stomach drop as her mind flew over their interaction with Jesus, trying to find an explanation for what is happening.

"Firecrackers." Anamika and Daryl shared a glance and seemed to reach the same conclusion.

"Shit," Daryl said, "He swiped your keys didn't he?  _Shit!_ " Anamika was already running back the way they came, Daryl and Rick not far behind her. She saw Jesus jumping into the van, yelling sorry as he waved something in his hand as he drove off. Daryl and Rick ran after the van, standing in the road and watching him drive off, while Anamika made a beeline for the car she drove there. Jumping in, she turned the key, but instead of starting, nothing happened. She tried again, but met the same result. Jumping out, she popped open the bonnet and cursed when she saw the spark plugs missing. At least now she knew what Jesus was waving around as he drove off. Shouldering her backpack, she ran to where Daryl and Rick stood.

"Bastard took my spark plugs, car's dead. Guess we're running boys." Rick nodded and Daryl grunted, too angry to say anything. Securing her backpack, she started running, Daryl and Rick flanking her. Already the heat was unbearable and she just knew this was going to become worse before it got anywhere near better.

WD

Anamika wiped the sweat from her forehead as she ran on, her breath slightly strained and her shirt clinging to her skin. Her muscles trembled, but she determinedly paid them no attention, knowing if she starts thinking about the burn, then she'll stop running and might not start again. Next to her, Rick and Daryl were both breathing loudly, their hair sticking to their faces as it dripped with sweat and she knew she looked just as bad, if not worse.

It was with no small amount of relief that Anamika saw the vending machine lying in the middle of the road, knowing Daryl would stop for it and giving her a chance to catch her breath. She was fit, but even fit and relatively well fed it was difficult to run for miles in the heat with no water. The measly bottle of water she had scavenged in the gas store didn't last long between the three of them, even when they drank it sparingly.

Stopping, she placed her hands on her hips, exhaling slowly as she forced her trembling legs to walk around slowly, trying to calm down her breathing. Daryl was checking the vending machine, and Rick was bent over, trying to catch his breath as Daryl broke the glass.

"Please tell me there's something to drink in there." Anamika begged as she wandered closer, her breath still heaving. Despite the sweat coating Daryl's body, he seemed fine and Anamika thought it highly unfair that he wasn't as bothered by the running as she evidently was. Grunting, he handed her a popped soda can after drinking some himself and she passed it on to Rick when she had some.

Holding up two other cans, Daryl spoke, barely any strain in his voice, "This was a special request from the doctor."

"Hey, whatever she wants. She saved Carl's life, Anna's too. We didn't know her and she turned out alright. If there's still people out here, and they're still people, we should bring them in."

Anna accepted the can from Rick and took another sip before passing it on to Daryl.

"Sure and I'm especially grateful, but this guy's a douche bag."

"Yeah, not him."

Anamika nodded, no way were they bringing a guy back to their community that just went around robbing people, they might end up in a worse situation than they already were.

"We still got a trail." Sighing deeply, she hiked her backpack up higher, before starting to jog again, her mind focusing on the road ahead of her and placing one step in front of the other. Soon her eyes focused and she realised that Daryl was running in front of her, his delectable ass on display. She grinned, eyeing the fine specimen as she ran, not even paying attention to how far they ran.

Seeing Rick glance back at her, she shrugged unashamedly as he realised just what was occupying her attention and she could see the barely there smirk as he turned back to the front. Her grin stretched wider, now motivated to keep pace with the men besides exacting some revenge on the asshole who stole their stuff.

"Look!" Reluctantly dragging her eyes away, she saw the skid marks Daryl was pointing at and followed him down the road. They crept up the incline, peeking over the ridge to see the van parked in the middle of the road and Jesus changing a tire.

"Come on." She gestured to the woods, slipping between the trees as Daryl and Rick followed. She tightened the straps of her backpack that went around her chest, glad that it wasn't too cumbersome. Rick went off to one side, hoping to sneak around the van while Daryl went off to the other side. Anamika crept forward, keeping Jesus in her sights, but hanging back to see where she would be needed.

As soon as Rick jumped Jesus, she knew she had been right to be wary of the man. Not only didn't he react in a panicked matter, more resigned, but the moment he threw an elbow into Rick's side, his movements smooth and precise, she knew he was trained in martial arts. Rick and Daryl were both brawlers and thus no match for him one on one. She sprinted towards where Daryl just engaged Jesus, only to be thrown against the van's side.

Before Jesus could take off or even think of doing anything else, she dove right into the fray. The damn ninja dodged her first punch, but it seemed he was caught off guard by her controlled moves, as her second one clipped him on his shoulder. He tried to grab her by her backpack straps, but she dropped down, sweeping her leg out and when he jumped over it, as she knew he would, her arm snapped out, sweeping his legs to the side in mid air.

With a groan, Jesus landed on his side, opening his eyes to find three guns pointed at his face.

"Stay down holy man." Jesus seemed disgruntled, peering at her in a confused manner as she smirked down at him. He was breathing heavily, but Anamika, despite having just run miles after him and the bloody van, was high on adrenaline and barely felt her sore muscles.

"Do you even have any ammo?" Rick and Daryl exchanged a glance and as one, lifted their guns to shoot at a walker that had come out of the forest. Anamika, however, was still pissed at the guy for stealing their van and forcing her to run in the heat, so all she did was adjust her aim slightly and pulled the trigger. Jesus flinched as the bullet struck the ground near his head, his eyes wide as he looked back at her. She knew Rick and Daryl were both eyeing her, but they wouldn't say anything in front of a stranger and didn't  _really_  care, as she didn't actually hit the guy.

"What do you think?"

"Ok. You gonna shoot me over a truck?"

"Van." Anamika interjected, but although Jesus eyed her, no one really paid attention.

"There's a lot of food on that truck. The keys,  _now._ "

"I think you know I'm not a bad guy."

"Yeah, what do you know about us? Give me the keys. This is the last time I'm asking." Jesus glanced at her again and her eyes narrowed, unsure what his problem or fascination with her were. Sighing, she knelt down, knowing he wouldn't try anything with two guns still pointed at her and knowing he would struggle to place her in a hostage situation.

She patted down his trench coat, checking the pockets before patting his vest. Finally, she found the keys in a pocket on the inside of his coat, pulling it out and grinning as she rattled them. Standing up, she left Rick to deal with him further, instead making her way to the van, locking the back and making her way to the passenger seat. Eyeing the two front seats, another grin stretched her face and when Daryl came around the side, she waggled her eyebrows at him.

"What?"

"Only two seats." He grunted, eyeing her grin warily as she opened the door for him.

"Get in Katniss." Scowling, Daryl slid into the seat and the next thing he knew, he had a lapfull of Anamika. Smiling smugly, she closed the door and turned her body sideways, so that she leaned slightly against the door and Daryl's shoulder, her body melting into Daryl's hard one as his hands hovered uncertainly in the air, before he placed them on her thigh and waist respectively. Rick snorted at her, ignoring her as she stuck out her tongue at him. Wiggling a bit to get comfortable, she felt Daryl's hands tighten painfully on her body.

"Stop." He scowled at her and she smiled innocently, but nevertheless, she stopped teasing him and sat back, tired from all the running.

She felt Daryl shift into a more comfortable position beneath her, before he threw a middle finger out the window and his gravelly voice yelled out, "So long ya prick!"

Laughing, Anamika pecked him lightly on the cheek as Rick chuckled, before leaning her head against Daryl's shoulder. Ignoring Rick and Daryl speaking about who knows what, she slipped into a doze, certain that they would protect her while she was vulnerable and knowing she would wake up if they stopped.

She wasn't sure how long she dozed, vaguely aware of Daryl's thumb stroking the soft skin at her waist, just below where one of her scars were, but when the van started bumping around, almost unseating her, she blinked awake, looking forward to see a barn. A thud drew her attention and she looked up in confusion towards where she heard it coming from. More followed and Daryl also heard it, as he turned down the music, making it obvious there was something on the roof and he shared a glance with Rick.

"I think that sum'bitch' on the roof."

"Hold on." Anamika had just enough time to grab Daryl's arm where it wrapped around her like a steel band, before Rick pressed down the brakes, the van screeching as it came to a halt, throwing their stowaway off the roof and onto the grass in front of them. She was kind of impressed with his recovery time, as he popped up like a daisy, and there was a moment of silence as everyone just stared at each other.

Then he turned and ran.

Rick sneered as he pressed down on the gas and Anamika could feel Daryl shifting beneath her, his body angling towards the door. Seemingly on the same wavelength, she turned with him, opening the door and jumping out, landing in a roll that she came out of sprinting. She could hear Rick calling her name, as well as Daryl's who she knew followed her out the van.

Jesus was fast, but so was she and Daryl. She could see Rick was trying to cut him off, but instead the van just became another obstacle to get to the fleeing man. Rick seemed to realise this as he reversed the van, parking it near a lake and jumping out of the car.

"We came to a conclusion asshole!" Anamika huffed as Daryl still chased after Jesus, but instead of running after him herself, her attention was caught by walkers that were tied with rope to a truck. Fraying rope, to be precise. She decided the walkers were a bigger threat than an unarmed lone man, no matter how good he was at martial arts, so she turned towards the walkers that was now loose.

Rick soon joined her, both of them dispatching the walkers with ease, but a gunshot had Anamika whipping her head around, her heart in her throat as she searched for Daryl. She found him struggling with Jesus inside the van and breathed a sigh of relief, that she almost immediately started choking on as the van started rolling backwards, towards the lake.

"Daryl!" She started sprinting towards the van, her arms pumping in her panic, visions of the van rolling into the lake with Daryl still in it, struggling with a stranger and drowning playing in front of her mind's eye.

" _Daryl!_ " The next moment Daryl jumped out of the van, followed by Jesus and she didn't even check on the other man, she just barreled into Daryl, clinging to him for dear life. The fear the gunshot caused and then seeing the van head towards the water with Daryl in it wrecked with her mind and her entire body was trembling. Daryl was breathing heavily, his eyes on the van, but his arm winded around her, holding her to him. Rick came to a stop next to them and all three watched as the van rolled into the lake and the water slowly closed over the van, hiding it from view.

"Goodbye van." Anamika stated mournfully and she adamantly ignored Rick's muttered 'truck' under his breath.

"You alright?" She turned to Daryl, also interested in the answer to Rick's question.

"Yeah. Law of averages. That's bullshit man." Anamika couldn't help chuckling, ignoring the dirty look Rick threw her and finally deeming Daryl uninjured, she let go of the man and walked forward, poking an unconscious Jesus in the side with her toe. Crouching down, she heard the men talking about what to do with him, but she just poked his cheek, seeing if he'd wake up, but the man was out cold. When Daryl came over, grabbing his hands and dragging him off, she knew just by Rick's expression that they weren't going to 'put him up a tree' as Daryl said, but take him back to the community.

"I call shotgun!" Anamika yelled, jumping up and speed walking to the cars. Daryl seemed suspicious of her enthusiasm, but Rick just had that infuriating eye twinkle that showed her knew exactly why she called dibs on the front passenger seat. Sure enough, after a brief stare down between her two companions, Jesus was loaded into the back of a white SUV, with Daryl forced to sit at the back next to him, partly to keep an eye on him and partly because Anamika planted her ass in the front seat and refused to budge.

Rick pulled away and Anamika exhaled slowly, glad to be heading home after a long day, even though they had nothing to show for it more than an unconscious ninja in the back seat. Curling her long legs up under her, Anamika crossed her arms and rested her chin on her chest as she leaned against the door. She was fucking tired and not interested in Rick's speech to Daryl, so instead she settled in to rest, knowing she had almost an hour before they would be back home.

It wasn't long before sleep claimed her, Rick and Daryl's deep voices fading to the background, reassuring her that she was safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter followed canon almost exactly, but I loved this episode and there wasn't much to change about their initial meeting with Jesus. Hopefully, the next chapter will be up next week, I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I haven't actually typed it yet. Let me know what you guys think!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the late update, at the moment I'm posting chapters as I write them in between work, so please be patient with me. From here on, I hope you guys enjoy my spin on how Anamika will affect the canon story line, I'm really excited about it. Thanks for all the favoritesand follows. I also realizethat I was in such a hurry to post chapter 24 that I didn't thank my commenters, so here's for the last two chapters: thanks to pragmatica, Tay_Reads2797 and JCJ58 for commenting, I appreciate all the feedback!

Anamika was vaguely aware of them making it back to Alexandria, but was too tired and sleepy to really pay attention. She mumbled softly when Daryl carried her in to their bed, snuggling into his warmth and then the pillow when he finally laid her down. She heard him exit the room again, but before she could even contemplate following him, sleep pulled her under again.

It felt like mere minutes later that she was awoken by urgent voices outside, the urgency in their voices and footsteps waking her up immediately. She flew up, her mind suddenly remembering that they had an unknown in their community, an unknown that was like a damn ninja and she was here sleeping. To be fair, it could be nothing, maybe it was just walkers that got the people outside riled up, but seeing as she could hear Daryl's gruff voice raised, she doubted it.

Grabbing her gun that was on the bedside table, probably thanks to Daryl, she made her way out of the house, just in time to see Abraham rushing into Rick's house, following Daryl and Glenn. Running over, she took the porch steps two at a time, her mind on Carl and Judith who was in that house, but when she rushed in, just in time to hear Rick say they should talk, she sighed in relief. Seems like everything was under control. Glancing up, her eyes widened when she saw Rick shirtless and Michonne adjusting her shirt next to him, both looking very uncomfortable.

A grin broke out over her face and she leaned back against the wall, narrowly watching as Jesus walked past her, following Glenn and Abraham with Daryl on Jesus' heels, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. She briefly let her hand brush against his as he passed, her lips quirking up as her eyes flitted to Rick and Michonne and she saw the barely there amusement in his eyes at the pair. Waiting for the couple to come down, she couldn't help the smirk that grew on her face, despite the serious situation and it just became bigger with the despairing look Rick threw her. She could see the happiness in both his and Michonne's eyes, but they also knew to expect a lot of teasing from her for how it came out.

"Sooo… Had a nice night? I hear the moon was lovely." Rick grumbled as he stalked away and Michonne coughed, but Anamika could see the soft grin she was trying to hide behind her hand. Slinging an arm around the katana wielding badass, she poked her cheek as she grinned.

"Aaaw, is that a blush I see?"

"Shut up Anna." Despite her brusque words, Anamika knew better and merely smiled. She followed the others into the dining area, the sun just about coming up and lightening the room. She moved to stand behind Carl, nudging Abraham to the side with her hip. Folding her arms, she lightly rested them on the top of Carl's head, the boy glancing at her annoyed but leaving her be. He knew she did what she wanted, especially when it came to annoying him.

Jesus eyes flickered to hers, causing her eyes to narrow and she saw Daryl and Rick exchanging a look, both of them acknowledging the weird interest the man had in her. When Rick questioned Jesus, she rolled her eyes at the man's answer, huffing at his almost philosophical monologue. about chaos and whatnot. It was when he started talking about having checked out their arsenal and supplies that she straightened, a scowl on her face.

"-very low for the amount of people you have. Fifty-four?"

"More than that." Maggie said, her gaze stern as she watched him. Jesus paused and Anamika spoke up, her voice just as hard as Maggie's, if not more.

"Rick, you have this? It seems I have some guards to go speak to."

"Yeah. You deal with that, I'll deal with him." Jesus gazed speculatively at her, catching the authority in her tone and the fact that Rick trusted her with important matters like the security of their community. Glancing at Daryl, she walked out of the house, heading towards the guard tower.

Ever since she became part of the group, she became one of the people Rick asked for advice on security measures about and as such, automatically became a sort of leader. It helped that the Alexandrians loved her, despite her awkwardness around them. She wasn't sure if it was because she was more approachable as a woman or if it was that they just build this favourable image of her when she sent food to them and even getting to know her wasn't enough to break that image, but if she said something, they usually listened.

It got to the point that if Rick wanted to do something the community didn't agree with, she could usually get them to agree or at least consider it. Not that it had happened lately, as the community's trust in Rick also skyrocketed after the walker invasion.

"Hey Spencer!" The lanky man turned around, smiling at her as she walked up, though it slowly faded as he saw her serious expression.

"Who was on interior guard duty last night?" One of the things she had Rick implement was an exterior and interior patrol. At night, the exterior patrol just stayed on the two guard towards, watching outside the fence and using spotlights to check the wall at random intervals. As soon as the construction of the other two guard towers were complete, Alexandria would become even more secure.

The interior patrol, on the other hand, consisted of three people who patrolled the community. Two patrolled around the inside of the wall, while another walked along the streets, just in case something managed to get past the other guards. It was this person she was interested in, as Jesus had the time to check out their arsenal and storage area, both, incidentally, which should have been locked. She would have to speak to Olivia as well.

"Uh, it was Bruce, Kent and Francine."

"Who was on street patrol?"

"Kent."

"And who guarded the prisoner?" Spencer seemed uncomfortable, before he lowly muttered that it was him and Denise; Denise more because she had to check up on the prisoner. Anamika sighed, rubbing her eyes.

"Alright, I know Jesus is a freaking ninja, so unless you were in the room with him, he probably would have found some way out, but Spencer, next time, don't screw up. Even if you have to sit in the same room as him all night long. We are lucky he didn't decide to go on a killing spree, what with everyone asleep and vulnerable." The man nodded, a bit disgruntled at her harsh reprimand but unwilling to say anything against her.

Anamika nodded, seeing Spencer acknowledge what she said and deciding to go find Kent, knowing the man would be back home now, as their shift ended at dawn. Turning, she made her way down the street, determined to talk to him and maybe Bruce and Francine as well. She knew they were all good people and usually took guard duty seriously, but she had to get to the bottom of how Jesus managed to walk around freely in Alexandria.

Walking up the porch steps of Kent's house, she knocked loudly on the door, hoping the man hasn't gone to sleep yet. It took a while, but finally the door opened, Kent standing bleary eyed in front of her. He seemed to wake up more when he realized who was on his porch though.

"Anna! Hi, what's going on?"

"Kent, I hear you were part of interior patrol last night?"

"Yeah…"

"The prisoner we brought back managed to get out of his cell during the night and decided he'd like to take a night time stroll through Alexandria." Kent's eyes widened, but seeing as she was standing on his porch, relatively calm, he didn't panic.

"Uhm…"

"Did you see anything unusual on your patrol? What rounds did you make? I'm not blaming you for him getting out, he had two guards that were supposed to watch him, but it does not bode well that he managed to sneak around Alexandria undiscovered."

"Of course, I understand. I followed the main road, making a loop around the armory and then heading in the direction of the church. The only people I saw were his guards, Spencer and Denise, and near dawn Maggie and Glenn. Although, it is quite difficult to see everywhere, as it was very dark and the flashlight only lights up so much."

Anamika nodded, it was one of the problems she was working on.

"Yeah, I know. I'm working on that, maybe some small solar powered lights we can use on the pavements. I'll talk to Rick about it, in the meantime, get the word out that any patrols need to be stepped up for the next week or so. We don't know who else is out there, especially with this guy now knowing where we are."

Kent nodded, his eyes serious, and Anamika turned away, knowing he would get everyone informed about the new possible danger. She had to speak with Olivia. The biggest breach in security was that their armory and storage area wasn't locked. Finally arriving at the woman's house, she knocked on the door loudly, waiting impatiently for Olivia to come answer. After a few minutes, she knocked again, before finally just entering the house. She made her way to the armory and saw to her disgust that the door was unlocked, as she already knew it would be and there was no signs of Jesus having forced his way in.

The inside garage door was also unlocked, which was just sloppy, even if the exterior door was locked.

"Olivia!" Hearing a thud upstairs and muttering, she waited impatiently at the doors, her foot tapping against the floor in irritation. Finally, Olivia appeared at the top of the stairs, her hair messy and her glasses perched precariously on her nose.

"Anna?"

"Last night, our prisoner escaped and decided to take a walk around Alexandria. He also decided to check out our supplies and armory. What I want to know, is how he managed to do that, seeing as these two rooms are  _supposed_  to be locked during the night." Olivia paled, her mouth gaping open and closed as she shot panicked glances at the two wide open doors.

"I-I… uh, that is…"

"I'm not interested in excuses. We're lucky it was someone who apparently didn't mean us harm. He managed to get inside Rick's house undiscovered and could easily have killed him if he wanted to, seeing as he was right inside the armory with his pick of weapons. Olivia, I understand everyone makes mistakes, but this cannot happen again! We are trusting you with our lives, it could be argued that you have the most important responsibility of everyone in this community. If you don't feel up to it, let me know now that my trust was misplaced or that you would prefer to not have that responsibility and I will get someone else to manage our most important resources."

Though Anamika's words were harsh and she could see the shame clearly displayed on the dark-haired woman's face, she also saw the determination in her eyes. She was proved right when Olivia straightened, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"That won't be necessary. It won't happen again and I'll prove to you that this responsibility isn't too much. Just give me that chance." Gazing into her eyes, as if trying to gauge how sincere she was, Anamika finally nodded sharply, turning to walk out.

"I'm trusting you with this Olivia," She called over her shoulder, before exiting the house. The next stop in her morning was the room Jesus was kept in. She wanted to see how he got out, so that she could make sure it would never happen again. Walking down the steps, she opened the door, observing the two rooms inside. Huffing, she eyed the two small windows at the top of the room Jesus had been sleeping in. She just knew that was how he got out. A guard had been stationed outside the door, but in the dead of night it was dark and they might have let their guard down.

Walking back out, she headed home, wanting a shower and a change of clothes, as she was still wearing what she had yesterday. On the way, she saw Morgan practicing with his stick, and an idea struck her. Changing direction, she called out to him, waving her hand when he looked up. Though she didn't get along with Morgan, less so after the wolves incident, she knew he would be happy to do what she asked.

"Morgan, I've got a job for you, if you're up to it." He nodded, waiting for her to continue, so she jumped right into it.

"Our prisoner last night managed to escape his guards far too easily. Though we don't want to get in the habit of taking prisoners, we do need a secure place in the event something like this happens again. As such, would you be up to it to fortify that room for us? Bar the windows and such?" She could practically see his eyes light up and a smile played on his lips. She knew that he would want to use the cell for other reasons, as proof that they didn't have to kill some people, but as long as they had a secure place in the unlikely event that they would need it, she didn't care what his reasons were. Nodding, she turned to head home, knowing he would do what she asked.

"If anyone asks any questions, send them my way." Waving one hand, she walked down the street, ready for that shower. All her plans were put on hold when she saw the RV parked outside, her group scurrying around it. She narrowed her eyes, seeing Rick standing with Judith and talking to Carl. Detouring to where she saw Daryl, she called out to him as Denise walked away.

"Hey Katniss, what's going on?" Daryl grunted, his eyes meeting hers as he wiped his hands on a grungy cloth.

"Jesus got a community, he's taking us there now. Rick wanna see if they got stuff we need." Anamika nodded, her mind boggled at the thought of finding a community that would trade with them and not try and take them over.

"What's this place called?"

"Hilltop. Stupid name." Nodding, she absently brushed her hand against Daryl's, her mind whirring. The name sparked something inside her, but for the life of her she couldn't think what. When Daryl grunted again and rubbed his thumb against her wrist, she came back to the present, focusing on her.

"You gonna come with?"

Despite not wanting to be away from Daryl and being curious about this new community, she also knew she shouldn't be part of the welcoming committee. Besides, she had something else in mind for herself today.

"Naw, gonna stay here, rest a bit." Though her redneck looked at her suspiciously, he also didn't say anything against her, instead nodding and going back to loading the RV. Giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, ignoring his 'stop', she walked over to Rick and Carl, just in time to hear Carl saying he was also going to be staying.

When Rick's eyes met hers, she knew what he wanted to ask her, but would never presume to. Luckily for him, she already decided to stay.

"No worries, I'll look after the little man and this adorable munchkin. I might go out for a quick run, but no more than two to three hours and I'll take one of the long distance walkies with me in case of emergencies." Rick nodded as she slung an arm around Carl's shoulders, her fingers playing with Judith's hair. When Rick walked away, taking the gas canister with him, she looked down at the teenager, her chest feeling suspiciously tight after hearing Carl referring to his face as messed up when he explained to his dad why he shouldn't be part of the welcoming committee.

"Dude, your face is badass, don't dis the scars." Carl sighed, before smiling up at her, his eyes twinkling at her. "Come on hotshot, let's get your sister her breakfast."

WD

It was nearing noon when Anamika decided to go on the run she had planned, Carl well able to look after Judith on his own and after her talk with the guards, everyone was on high alert and reluctant to be the one who screwed up and brought Anamika's ire down on them.

Pulling her old military truck out in front of Olivia's house, she gathered her weapons that she didn't automatically keep on her person, as well as a flashlight and a ziploc plastic bag, hoping it will help her in her endeavor. She also grabbed a protein bar for the road, along with that long distance radio and asked Olivia if any of the houses had some swim goggles lying around. Turns out, though there wasn't any swim goggles, the construction crew did have some heavy duty safety goggles that would more or less do the same job.

Finally, having gathered everything she thought she'd need, she kissed Judith on the cheek, smiling at the small girl's chuckle and ruffled Carl's hair, promising him she'd be back soon. Jumping into her truck, she waited as the front gate was slid open and carefully maneuvered her big vehicle through their obstacle course. Then she was on her way.

It took her almost an hour and a half to reach the farm where they had lost the supply van to the lake, seeing as she had to try and remember where it was and took the wrong road twice. Eventually, she did manage to reach the area and carefully drove as close to the the edge of the lake as she dared, making sure she was still on the dry grass and well clear of the crumbling mud bank that sloped into the lake.

Glancing around to make sure there was no one and nothing near, she walked to the front of her truck, where there was a synthetic rope winch build into her front grill. Grabbing the steel hook, she placed her foot on the grill for more power and pulled, uncoiling the 25 pound synthetic winch rope. Unsure how much she'd need, she uncoiled the entire fifty-five yards of it, sure it will be long enough to reach the van in the lake.

Putting on the goggles, she adjusted her hair and made sure they sat snugly on her face and took off her shoes before she turned on the flashlight and placed it inside the ziploc bag, sealing it tight against water. Light in the one hand and the steel hook that's at the end of her winch rope in the other, she walked down the bank to the lake.

This was the part she was dreading the most, as she was vulnerable while in the water and she didn't really fancy swimming in a murky lake. But Jesus had been right, there was a lot of food in that van and her community needed it. Her skin jumped as she waded into the cold water, grimacing at the slimy feeling of the bottom of the lake between her toes. Finally, she took a deep breath and dived under the water, swimming out to where she remembered the last of the van's bubbles disappearing the day before.

It wasn't difficult to find the van, but with the water so murky, it was difficult to see where she could hook the rope to, even with the aid of her flashlight. Kicking up, she resurfaced for some air, quickly checking her surroundings before she dove down again. Swimming to the front of the truck, she examined under the grill, searching for something to hook the rope to. She was reluctant to use the grill, as she could just see herself pulling the grill off the van and not the van out of the lake. She had to go up for air twice more before she found a suitable part to hook to her rope, jerking it to make sure it's secure.

Going up for air again and making sure she's still alone, she dove down again, this time swimming to the wheels of the van. Using her one hand, she dug around the tires, loosening the mud that sucked the vehicle into the lake bed and placing some rocks she found on the bottom of the lake around the tires. Hopefully this will make it easier to tow out the van. She knew it was going to be difficult and if she didn't have her military truck, probably impossible.

It took her a further half an hour to loosen all the tires, before she finally decided to try her luck at towing the van out. Swimming back to the lakeside, she waded out, taking off the goggles and shaking her hair out. Climbing into her truck, uncaring of how wet she was, she started it up, slowly reversing till the rope was pulled taut. Breathing deeply, she gradually pressed down on the gas pedal, pressing down and releasing in an attempt to loosen the van from the mud even further.

When she pressed down the gas pedal and finally felt the truck pull back more than the previous times, she steadily increased the pressure instead of releasing it as she did previously. It took a while, but soon she could see the front of the van emerging from the lake, followed by the rest. The hardest part was actually towing the van up the lake bank and there was a moment her truck struggled and skidded and she thought she was going to lose the van to the lake again.

Luckily, her truck won the tug of war against gravity and the van rolled forward, away from its watery grave. She continued reversing till the van was far away from the lake and in no danger of rolling back down it. Pulling up her hand brake, she parked her truck and turned off the engine, before making her way to the van. Going round to the open driver's side door, she reached in and lifted the hand brake, so that when she unhooked the winch rope it wouldn't try and escape again.

Making her way to the back, she eyed the water that was pouring from it, before unhooking the latch and standing next to the van as she opened the back instead of in front of it. Immediately, the last of the water gushed out, followed by boxes and cans falling out. She was immensely grateful she hadn't decided to be in front of that door when she opened it. When the deluge stopped, she grimaced and stepped around, climbing into the van and checking to see what was salvageable. Luckily, all the cans of food was fine, as well as anything that was in plastic. The boxed dry food was ruined, like the pasta and flour, but all in all, there was still a lot of things they could use, especially the boxed stuff that had been wrapped in plastic, keeping the water out.

Not even wanting to try and start the truck after it rested overnight in the lake, she recoiled the rope onto her winch and pulled her truck up to the side of the van. It was a long and arduous task to reload all the stuff into the back of her truck, but one she was used to when she had been on the road alone. Besides, she didn't mind some physical labor if it meant she helped out the people who showed her how to live instead of just survive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so first of the changes right here! I understand leaving the supply van if you don't have the resources to get it out of the lake, but I believe Anamika's military truck is a resource capable of this. Also, there's an article on samsonrope called Tough Synthetic Winch Rope System Pulls Technology Forward that explains how Anamika can use the military grade winch on her own, without needing the strength of another three or so people. I admit, I use some elements that was only invented after 2010 and so shouldn't exist in the story, but at this point, I don't actually care about that, so sorry not sorry.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed this!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, here's your next chapter! To be honest, it wouldn't have been finished today, but I've had a hard day filled with verbal abuse and stress, so I've been stress typing, as that's my release. That's probably also why this chapter turned out the way it did hahaha *hides* Thanks for all the kudos!
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika had been gone for about two and a half hours and, after checking in with Alexandria using her long range radio, she decided she had enough time to make one more stop on the way back. She vaguely remembered seeing a barn in the distance while she, Daryl and Rick had been running after Jesus and their supply van and the area it had been in wasn't too far out of her way. Leaving the waterlogged van behind, Anamika hummed as she drove the truck to where she remembered the barn being, in high spirits despite her sopping wet clothes.

It wasn't more than fifteen minutes before she saw the structure in the distance and she smiled to herself, hopeful that she'd find something good there. Parking in front of the barn doors, her spirits fell slightly as she saw the doors wide open, but decided to try her luck nonetheless.

Checking the surrounding areas and seeing only one walker in the distance, she decided it looked safe enough. Sliding her machete from her sheath, she crept to the open doors, pretty sure there would be no walkers inside, as the sound of her truck would have lured them out, but not willing to take any chances.

Peeking into the gloomy interior of the barn, she saw lots of hay stacks standing around the sides of the barn and a ladder on the left that lead to the second floor, but other than that, it seemed deserted. She entered cautiously, her eyes darting around until she made sure that there was nothing there. The smell of mildew and rotten vegetation filled her nose and she grimaced, eyeing the old wooden walls dubiously. Just as she was about to give it up as a bust, she saw a gas can in the far corner, wedged behind some of the haystacks. Coming closer, she peered around the haystacks and saw to her surprise several gas containers, not just the one.

Excitement thrummed through her as she sheathed her machete, carefully, climbing onto the haystacks after poking them to make sure they were stable. The first gas drum was empty, as was the second one, but she struck gold with the third one. Giving it a shove, the gas caddy barely moved and a grin lit up her face. It looked to contain around 25-30 gallons of gas, if she could take a guess and she saw three more caddies and two other drums behind it. Nudging them all, she was ecstatic to feel they were all full or at least close to full and the sound of the sloshing liquid inside was like music to her ears.

Climbing down, she started the task of shifting the hay bales out of the way, so that she had easy access to the gas canisters behind them. Sweat was pouring down her back by the time she moved them all, along with the two empty gas barrels, out of the way. Hands on her hips, Anamika tilted her head as she regarded the various containers of gas contemplatively.

Her throat was scratchy from all the panting she did and her muscles trembled finely and she grudgingly admitted she wasn't as fit as she used to be before Alexandria. It would be easy to get the gas caddies to the car, as they had wheels, and she could just roll the gas drums to the car as well, but she admitted that she was tired and would prefer not to struggle with the heavy gas drums too much.

Making up her mind, she walked out to her truck, climbing in and starting it, before she carefully reversed it into the barn, as close to the gas cans as possible. Seeing as some of those cans weigh almost 200 pounds, she wanted them as close to the truck as possible. Starting with the gas caddies, as they were the easiest to move, she wheeled them closer, making sure that there was enough space in the back of the truck that she could easily fit them.

Bending her knees, she shifted her weight back, her feet far apart as she braced herself to lift the gas caddy, her hands on the handle. Straining, she managed to lift it a bit, before she set it down again, her arms shaking. Frowning down at the stubborn thing, she crouched more, bracing her back against the caddy, her hands holding the handle by her shoulder. Bending forward a bit, the caddy lifted off the ground, leaning on her back and slowly, she managed to stand up. Her arm muscles bulged and her fingers whitened with how tightly she was holding the canister, but she managed to slowly walk backwards and slide the caddy onto the truck bed. Carefully setting it down, she exhaled harshly, shaking her hands out to get the blood flowing in her fingers.

That had been much heavier than she thought it would be and she was not looking forward to doing the rest. The second one was just as difficult, as was the third one and Anamika was ready to just abandon the barrels after the fourth caddy was loaded into the truck. The barrels seemed a lot bigger and she was sure she would not be able to lift it, not if she struggled already with just the caddies. Tucking some strands of her hair that had come loose behind her ear, she walked to the barrel, slowly shifting it closer to the truck, before doing the same with the last one. Regarding the two troublesome things, her eyes drifted to the two empty drums she had moved to the side and a lightbulb moment happened.

She had a gas pipe in her truck, underneath the passenger seat. If she could move some of the gas from the full drums to the empty drums, then she wouldn't have to lift all that weight at once. Sure, she would have to fit four, maybe three barrels into her truck, which would need some rearranging, but it's better than leaving two 30 gallon barrels of gas behind.

Nodding to herself, she fetched the gas pipe and rolled the empty gas barrels closer, cursing when they clanged against the other barrels before she could stop them. Huffing, she lifted the one up, before bending to lift the other one. She had just managed to right it, when a foul smell hit her nose and before she could react, rotten arms wrapped around her from behind and moaning filled her ears.

Yelping, her eyes widened and she immediately tried to drop, to get the walker to let go of her, but the dead bugger had a tight grip on her and all that happened was the two of them staggering to the side. She heard a clicking of teeth right next to her ears and her hand shot up as she attempted to keep the walker away from her neck. The next few moments seemed to blur together, as her hand pushed the walker under its jaw to try and keep the teeth away from her as she flung her body back, causing both of them to stumble backwards.

In the ensuing scuffle, she managed to brace her feet, her hand that wasn't pressed under the walker's jaw grabbing the back of its head. Bending forwards, she shouted as she thrust her shoulder up and pulled her hands forward, flinging the walker over her shoulder and causing its grip on her to slip free. Usually, most walkers were so decomposed that the amount of force she used to throw them would tear their body apart. This walker, however, seemed to be quite fresh and intact and as such, she grunted as the entire body came over her shoulder instead of just the head or so.

She staggered back as the walker moaned and got to its feet and her eyes narrowed. She yelled again as she kicked the walker in the middle of its chest, trying to gain enough space to pull out her machete, but the next moment her eyes widened in fear, as the walker went crashing into one of the support poles of the barn, the rotten wood breaking apart under its weight. For a moment, it seemed as if nothing will happen, but then the crack of splintering wood and the groan of the building filled her ears.

The support beams above her splintered and broke and with her heart pounding in her chest, she ran and dove out of the barn, just in time to hear a tremendous crash behind her. Coughing, her eyes tearing from dust and fine splinters, she turned to see that the entire second level had collapsed and half of the barn as well.

"No...Nonononononono!" Jumping up, Anamika ran forward, trying to see where her truck was, but it seemed entirely buried beneath the rubble. She wouldn't be able to unearth it herself and for a moment she thought about if the universe was against her when it came to those supplies. Sighing, she rubbed her forehead, her shoulders sagging. She had wanted to bring the supplies back to the community on her own, to lessen the trouble they had to go through, but now she had no choice. She would need to go back and get some help in order to unearth her truck.

Luckily, She wasn't that far from Alexandria, about half an hour's ride and so not too far out for a supply team to come back with her. Also, just like when the van was in the lake, she doubt any other survivors would see her truck buried beneath the collapsed barn, so she didn't feel too bad leaving it there till they could return for it. She glared at the spot she could hear moaning coming from, but the walker seemed to be pinned, as she didn't see it crawling from the collapsed barn.

Straightening her shoulders, she turned towards Alexandria, hoping she would find a car along the way she could hot wire. She had been walking for close to twenty minutes when she saw a gas station with a car repair shop attached and she hoped for the best. Entering the shop, she walked over to the first car she saw, trying to start it. When it wouldn't start, she tried the next and the next one. At the third one she tried, it spluttered for a bit before dying, but it was more than she had gotten from the other cars. She tried again, pressing the pedal down and it did the same. Slamming her hands against the wheel, her face twisted into a scowl, she was extremely tempted to unload all her bullets into the infuriating vehicle.

She decided to try one more time before giving it up as a lost cause and as if God heard her, the car spluttered and then roared to life.

" _Hell yes baby!"_ A wide grin stretched across her face as she reversed the car out of the shop, turning it onto the road and heading home. She lost the radio with her truck, so she hadn't been able to check in and she was anxious to make sure everything was still fine, as she had been gone for close to four hours by now.

Despite losing the supplies, she knew it was only temporary and they could easily go back for it. Sure, the food she had buried in that barn is a short-term solution to their dwindling food supply, but at least it was something. She couldn't wait to see Rick and Daryl's faces when she let them know all those supplies are just waiting for them to go dig up, not even to speak of Michonne's glee when she told her toothpaste was also abundant in the supplies.

Turning down onto the road that will eventually lead her right to Alexandria, she had barely any time to react when she heard a loud bang followed by a pop and then the car swerved, her hands clutching at the wheel as time slowed down. Clear as day, she knew not to jerk the wheel, else the car might start rolling, so instead she used every lick of skill she had to try and crash the car safely.

Her body jerked as the vehicle slammed into the forest at the side of the road, her car crashing through some small saplings at the forest edge to land in a deep ditch just beyond and her head rang. She was aware that she had to get out of the car, that someone had apparently shot at her, probably hitting one of her tires. Groaning, but alert, she reached for her gun, sinking her body as low as she could and glancing around in an attempt to see her attackers.

She snarled when she saw seven men exit the woods on the opposite side of the road, their clothing and bearing clearly marking them as Saviors to her experienced eyes. Easing the door open slowly, she dropped next to the car, keeping it between her and them. Knowing she didn't have a lot of time, she lied flat on the ground, aiming her gun from beneath her car to their legs. Taking a deep breath, she shot twice quickly, downing two men, but the unexpected cries of their allies and the shattered calves had the rest scattering.

She cursed, before jumping up and running into the woods, knowing they would follow. Their shouts rang out behind her as her heart beat madly in her ears and she flinched at the sound of a gunshot and a bullet lodging into a tree nearby. She ducked around another tree, peeking back to see the position of her pursuers. There was only four men now and she reasoned that one must have stayed behind with the other two injured men.

It was still more than she wanted to take on unprepared, especially when her body ached from her recent crash, no matter how much she tried to do it in a controlled manner. Closing her eyes tiredly for a few seconds to ground her, she exhaled slowly, letting her heart calm down and her mind still. When she opened them, her eyes were cold and hard, a determined glint in their depths. Making sure she knew where all four of the men were, she slowly adjusted her position, deciding the one closest to her hiding place was the biggest threat, followed by the one that was well on his way to flanking her.

Tensing her muscles, she sent a quick sorry in her mind to Daryl, before jumping from behind the tree, her gun up and ready. The man in front of her was dead before he knew what happened and she rolled as two shots went off, dust flying up from where she just was as the bullets hit the ground. She got off another shot, but only hit the guy in his leg in her hurry. Springing up from her crouch, she kept low to the ground, zigzagging as she ran in an attempt to avoid the gunfire. She slid to the ground behind another tree, aimed and fired within a second.

Another one bites the dust.

She knew she was exhausted when her mind hysterically giggled at the song blaring through her thoughts, causing her to shake her head to focus her attention again.

The remaining two men clearly decided that she was too much trouble alive, especially seeing as one was injured in the leg, and the next thing she knew, the uninjured one came charging in, tackling her to the ground before she could get up from where she crouched. Shooting his ally had given her position away and had allowed him to get near her while she had been aiming for his injured friend.

Her breath was knocked out of her as the brute of a man knocked her to the ground and stars flashed before her eyes as he landed a heavy punch against her jaw. Black spotting her vision, she bucked her hips up in an attempt to throw him off, but the savior was too heavy and she grimaced as he settled his weight more firmly on top of her, his hands finding their way around her neck. Gasping for air and desperate to get him to release her, her hands flew up to his face, her thumbs digging into his eyes as her face turned red.

Her attacker cried out as she jammed her thumbs into his eye sockets, jerking back and releasing her and she coughed, her eyes watering, but knowing she only had a few seconds to act in. Snapping her arm up, her palm smashed into the underside of the man's jaw and she twisted, throwing him off her body and slamming a knife she pulled from her boot into his temple.

However, she had forgotten about the other man and even injured he was still a danger. Screaming, she fell to the side as a knife was plunged into her side, fire racing up her body as her eyes watered. Her hair was gripped in a dirty hand and her head jerked back. The feeling of a knife at her throat had the world coming to a stop, a cold line of ice that was dragged across the delicate skin beneath her jaw. Jerking her head back, she gurgled as she felt blood running across her neck and white filled her vision.

She was only lost in the haze for a few seconds, but it was enough to become aware of a man dead at her feet, a knife plunged into the side of his neck. Feeling dizziness overcome her, she sunk to her knees, her hand clutching at her throat as she tried to stop the blood flow. Good news was that her trachea or carotid was probably not damaged, as she would most likely already be dead if they were. Bad news was that some of the minor jugular veins had been cut and if she couldn't stop the bleeding, she might still die from blood loss.

Pulling her shirt over her head, she pressed it against her neck, stumbling up and towards the highway even as her vision dipped and blackened with spots. Reaching the road, she had a moment to be grateful that apparently the other savior decided his two injured companions needed immediate help, as the three were nowhere to be seen.

Resisting the urge to cough or start crying, she limped to the car. She almost did start crying when her car wouldn't start, as she knew time was of the essence. Alexandria was't far, which was even more worrying since the saviors was so close to home, but it would still take her a good twenty minutes to walk back and she knew she didn't have that kind of time.

Turning to start her hopeless walk, sunlight glinted off something in the trees on the other side of the road and she realised, with some relief, that it was a car, probably one left behind for the saviors she killed. Practically falling into the driver's seat, she didn't even bother buckling up, just started the car and turned down the road with squealing tires, one hand on the wheel and the other still pressing her shirt tightly to her neck.

Honestly, Anamika couldn't even remember half of the 5 minute drive home, her vision failing her just as she drove around a large truck and saw the gates of Alexandria. Her mind started to shut down and she felt as if she wanted to throw up as the car came to a stop and she tumbled out of the seat onto the road, her body not obeying her instructions anymore. Her vision was entirely taken over by darkness and knew it wouldn't be long before she fell unconscious, but if she wanted to survive she had to get the attention of whoever was on guard.

_She had to…_

It felt like her mind swooned and she swayed, unable to stand up as she collapsed to her knees. Her thoughts slowed and her limbs became heavy. She was less than 500 yards from home, but felt so far away.

_She was slowly going under..._

_Not today_

One hand still pressing her shirt to her neck to stem the bleeding, she crawled forward, not being able to see where she was going but knowing she couldn't stop. Even then her arm trembled and her side burned and she suddenly knew, with unusual clarity, that she was going to die. It didn't matter how close to home she was, she couldn't make it any further and she didn't even know if someone on guard duty saw her or if help was coming.

She had tried her best, but it wasn't enough. When she lifted her hand to move forward another step, her body collapsed. She rolled over onto her back, her breaths shallow and then she knew no more.

_Not today…_

WD

When Daryl had returned to Alexandria, the first thing he did was search for Anamika. When he couldn't find her, he sought out Carl, who told him she went on a run, but not to worry, because she took a long distance radio with her. The last time she had checked in had been an hour ago apparently and she had said she was going to make a stop on the way back, so it wasn't unusual that she wasn't home yet.

However, a lot could happen in an hour and Daryl wasn't content to take anyone's word when it came to Anamika, not even someone he trusted as much as he did Carl, not when she was out there alone.

Making his way to the guard tower, he climbed up, as whoever was on guard had the radio with them and he wanted to hear Anamika's voice for himself. Finding Aaron at the top, he greeted the man and as if he knew what Daryl wanted, the recruiter handed him the radio without a word. Pressing down the button, he brought the radio up to his mouth.

"Mika, come in." Daryl waited for a bit, his eyes roving over the road, before he brought the radio back to his mouth.

"Anamika, come in!"

"Goddamned woman, pick up the radio!" Daryl felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, his senses sharpening at the continuous white noise coming from the radio instead of Mika's voice.

"Keep an eye on the road for her." He climbed down the tower, striding over to where Rick was telling Gabriel the was gathering everyone in the church for a meeting in an hour.

"Rick!" The sheriff turned towards the archer, his brow furrowed as he took in the barely visible worry on his brother's face.

"Mika went out and she's not answering the radio." A look of worry took over Rick's face, but his voice was steady.

"Maybe she's just scavenging a house or something and left the radio in her car. Wait a few minutes and try again." Daryl paced back and forth, chewing his thumbnail and his expression thunderous. Honestly, as soon as that woman came back, he was going to have a word with her. He thought they were past this, that she knew they did things together and not on their own anymore!

After a few minutes, Daryl tried again and growled when he received no answer again. Seeing Rick stretch out his hand, he chucked the radio to him, his fingers tightening across the strap of his crossbow, the crossbow Anamika had given him, he thought with a scowl and a tightening in his chest. He was aware of Rick talking into the radio, but seeing as Anamika's voice didn't answer, he ignored the man's efforts. It was now about an hour and a half since Anamika was last heard of and Daryl was ready to just go out there on his own to search for her, nevermind that doing that was exactly what got them in this situation with Anamika in the first place.

"Michonne!" The woman came over, her trusty katana slung across her back and her eyes serious.

"Gather some people, we're going out to look for Anamika. Carl, make sure the people on guard know to look out for her return. Gabriel, tell everyone the meeting is postponed till we get back. Hopefully, it shouldn't take longer tha-"

"DARYL! RICK!" Daryl spun around at Aaron's panicked cry, seeing the man practically jump down the last few steps and waving them over before running out of the gate, Spencer on his heels. Heart in his throat, Daryl barreled down the road to the gate, his arms pumping and vaguely aware of Rick right next to him. Sasha, who was still on the other guard tower, had her sniper aimed at something and as Daryl came closer, she glanced at him, her eyes pained as she shouted down at him.

"It's Anamika, she seems to be injured and had collapsed." She needed to say no more, as Daryl put on another burst of speed and ran after Aaron and Spencer, Rick shouting out orders behind him. Soon he saw the two men some way in front of him crouch down around someone and his heart jumped as he heard Aaron's heartbreaking cry.

Skidding to a halt, his ears were ringing and his breath dragging out of his throat, as the first thing he saw was red, red everywhere. Blood was splattered across Anamika's exposed body and for a moment he couldn't understand why she was just in her bra, but then he saw the bloodied shirt Aaron was pressing against her throat, the man's eyes wild.

"Her throat is cut! Oh lord, I- I don't kno- What do we do?!" Everything seemed to fall silent as Daryl saw Anamika's slack face, a bloodied wound on her side and the gory shirt wrapped around her neck like some sort of scarf. Shouldering Spencer out of the way, he ignored Aaron's stuttered words and hefted Anamika into his arms.

He wouldn't let her die.

He  _couldn't_  let her die.

He started running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... Anamika just didn't have good luck in this chapter. It was just one thing after the other, but it all happened for very specific reasons, some of you probably even know what those reasons are. I hope to have the next chapter finished soon, wish me luck:)


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, so sorry for the late update, I've been run into the ground for the last two weeks. as such, this chapter is a bit shorter than my previous sprees of long chapters, at a little less than 3000 words. It's a very jumpy chapter, basically just covering S06E14&15\. I didn't write out all the scenes, as it's mostly canon since Anamika isn't involved and decided to focus more on the feelings these events would have invoked. As such, you get small snippets of Daryl and Rick moments.
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and to Tay_Reads2797 for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

The next hour was a blur for Daryl. He had never run so fast and as soon as he had burst into Denise's house, he found the doctor ready and waiting for him. He didn't even have the right frame of mind to be grateful someone had let her know to be ready, he just placed Anamika where Denise directed him to and collapsed against the wall, sliding down till he sat on the floor. He was aware that Rick was standing next to him and Carl right outside the room, but his focus was on the barely breathing form of Anamika as Denise and Rosita rushed around her, their voices urgent and their movements fast.

Time seemed to fly by as he sat there, the people around him rushing past in a blur as his mind remained blank with shock. All he could see was the red in front of his eyes, the blood that coated Anamika, the jagged edges of her flesh where she was cut. His breath shuddered out and he closed his eyes, as if that would make the images behind his eyes go away.

"Daryl." His eyes opened, Rick's face hovering in front of him. He grunted, his eyes flicking away towards the bed where Denise was still working on Anamika.

"Daryl, the meeting is about to start. I need you there brother, I need you to stand behind me. Especially with Anna… with Anna indisposed." Daryl wanted to rage, wanted to yell that he wasn't going to leave Anamika, but he was tired. So tired of watching the people he's supposed to be protecting get injured. He nodded sharply, standing up and following Rick out, determinedly not looking back. He had to keep his mind moving forward, or he would never be able to move at all, his mind stuck with the woman slowly dying behind him.

He followed his brother in all but blood out the door, ready for whatever they need to do.

WD

Rick walked off, following Michonne as the rest of his people scattered, all of them looking for walkers who bore even the faintest resemblance to Gregory. The woman he loved was on her guard, her katana held ready in her hands as she searched with her eyes and ears for any signs of walkers. He cleared his throat, seeing her turn slightly towards him.

"I'm worried about Daryl. He's too quiet."

"Daryl is always quiet."

"Not like this." Michonne nodded, acknowledging his words and worry. Rick thought about the look he had seen in the archer's eyes, first the panic as he had run into Alexandria cradling Anna's bloodied body and Rick had sworn that in that moment, his heart had stopped for a beat. Then the deadened shock as he sat in Anna's room, blind to the world around him, his eyes dazed and hollow. Finally, though the hollowness in his eyes still lingered, they also filled with a burning determination, the determination to protect his group from this Negan fellow.

Rick knew Daryl wasn't entirely letting himself feel the emotions that came from seeing Anna half dead. Just thinking about Michonne in that condition had Rick's breath stuttering and him reaching out to grab her hand, squeezing tightly. Michonne seemed to understand, as she held on and didn't let go, her eyes understanding.

"It'll be ok. Anna is stubborn, she'll make it through this. And Daryl is even more stubborn. We just need to focus on our mission, on what we can do something about." Rick nodded, turning his attention to the moaning walker who made its way out of the woods. His eyes narrowed and his mind sharpened.

He would not let this chance for the community slip by. Even if he had to kill every person in that satellite building, he would create a safe world for his people, no matter the cost.

WD

"Didn't even notice. You got your bike back." Daryl glanced up, seeing Carol walking over and he sat back on his haunches, watching as she took out a cigarette.

"Yeah. You got another one of those?"

Receiving the smoke, he muttered thanks as he lit it, the relief of nicotine making his shoulders relax.

"Those people you met in the burnt forest, they took it from you?" Daryl scowled, the thought of them filling his mind with rage, at how he had helped them only for them to spit in his face.

"Yeah," he muttered, trying not to think about that incident, as it still had his blood boiling.

"You saved them right?" Of course, Carol seemed determined to talk to him about it, but he just stayed quiet. He really didn't want to talk about them.

"Sorry. It's who you are. We're still stuck with that."

"Not me. I should have killed them." Daryl thought about how they screwed him over and he just became more convinced that people left on the outside wasn't worth saving. Especially not with Anamika laying in the infirmary, still on the edge of death, with no one sure if she would wake up or not. She sure didn't slash her own throat or stab herself in the side.

"Daryl, you can't hold what happened to Anna against anyone living outside. Jesus and his people were alright." Daryl grunted, looking away, somehow annoyed that his oldest friend could see exactly what was going on in his mind. "People can still be good. I mean, there has to be a point where we don't have to anymore right? Don't have to kill anymore?"

Daryl was quiet for a moment, seeing the almost pleading look on his friend's face, but Anamika's still body, hooked up to various machines and blood bags flashed through his mind.

"Naw, people always want what we have. We kill to protect the group and that's not going to change." Carol's expression had Daryl's heart tighten, worried for the anguish he could see on her face. She stood and walked away, leaving her smokes behind. Before she could get too far, Daryl spoke up, worry filling his mind.

"Hey… The ones who took you and Maggie...What did they do to you?"

"To us? They didn't do anything." He watched as she walked away, certain there was a lot more she wasn't saying, but not sure what she was hiding. He brought his cigarette up to his lips,, taking a pull, exhaling the smoke and taking comfort in the burn. Sighing, he stood up, wandering over to the infirmary and crushing his cigarette under his boot before he entered. Walking to the room Anamika was kept in, he slowed as he heard a voice and peeked around the door to see Carl sitting by Anamika's bed. The teen had Judith in his arms and was reading her a story, seeming not to mind the unconscious woman lying next to him. He pointed to pictures for Judith and praised her when she pointed out something.

Though Daryl didn't feel as if he could smile anymore, he did appreciate the care and devotion the teen was showing, coming to sit with an unresponsive Anamika every day, sometimes reading, sometimes talking and sometimes just sitting in silence, as if waiting for her to wake up. Sometimes, Daryl wished he could do that as well, but his eyes seemed to burn and his heart shriveled up when he saw her slack face, the bandage around her throat and the beeping of the machines hooked up to her.

He just wanted her to wake up, it had been days since she came back bloodied and half dead. Denise said that it had been close and that Anamika might have fallen into a coma due to her body going into shock, but Daryl just wanted her back, wanted those mischievous eyes to look at him and those lips to smile at him.

Leaving the teen to it, Daryl turned and walked away.

WD

"I asked you to come with me, because you're brave like my brother and sometimes you actually make me feel safe. You're hurting at the moment because of Anna and that's alright, but you can't let it defeat you." Daryl could feel the shame in his gut, as Denise chewed him out and moved on to Rosita, her voice filled with righteous anger as she scolded them like a couple of kids. He had come with because he wanted to get his mind off Anna's unchanged state, but Denise got right to the heart of the problem in her rant.

Denise was right, he was hurting and he didn't know how to handle it. He couldn't just move on, as Anamika was still there. She wasn't dead, she wasn't gone, she was still there right in front of him, but somehow she felt more unreachable than Merle did after he died, than Beth did after she was taken. This waiting, this hanging by a thread, uncertain what was going to happen was messing with his mind and his family saw that. Hell, even Denise saw it. Daryl knew he had never been good with emotions, but he had also never been in a situation like this before. Usually it's already over or he could fight towards a solution, but in this case, he could do neither.

His hands was tied and the only thing he could do was watch the woman he was pretty sure meant the world to him slowly slip through his fingers. It also made him angry, that she had gone out on her own and didn't take backup, that this happened to her because she was on her own and that he had no idea how it happened to her. It made rage flow through his veins and made him more impulsive.

The evidence was right here in front of him, a raging Denise, who never would have been here in usual circumstances, because he wouldn't have allowed someone with no experience outside to join him on a supply run usually. Somehow though, he just couldn't seem to care.

"-You're strong and you're smart and you're both really good people and if you don't wake...up...and face you..r.." Daryl's ears seemed to be ringing, his eyes widening in horror as Denise's body fell forward, her face frozen in seeming confusion as an arrow jutted out from her eye, blood dripping from the tip as her mouth moved silently. He jumped forward, his arms coming up slowly as if it's moving through molasses, catching her and lowering her body to the ground, her body limp and unresponsive.

The ringing continued as he swung his gun up, aimed at the people pouring out of the woods, but hate truly filled him when Dwight sauntered out, his old crossbow in his one hand and forcing Eugene to his knees with the other, watching him like a hyena as he smirked smugly, his expression twisted horrifically with a new burn that spanned half his face.

Well hell...You got something to say to me?"

WD

Daryl's mind was going in slow circles as he stared at the key ring, the name 'Dennis' seeming to mock him as much as Denise's body, covered by a white sheet, did. He remembered her saying how he reminded her of her brother, how he made her feel safe and he wanted to scoff. Safe, he was the furthest thing from safe. He was supposed to protect his family, yet Anamika lied in the infirmary, unconscious with no way of knowing when or even if she'll wake up. He was supposed to protect the community, yet on his watch, their only doctor got killed. A doctor both Anamika and the pregnant Maggie needed desperately.

Clenching his jaw, he pocketed the key ring and stuck the shovel into the pile of dirt, starting to fill up the grave, his mind a constant loop of blame, guilt and self-loathing.

_His fault, his fault, he's useless…_

The white sheet in the grave slowly became covered in dirt as he continued shoveling, his face grim.

_Waste of space, weak…_

He knew Carol was looking at him, her face so sad he couldn't bare to look at it and instead grabbed a small bottle of whiskey, downing it before he continued shoveling.

_Can't even keep one person alive, useless…_

The repetitive motion and sound of the shovel cleaving through the dirt was like a slap in his face, each motion reminding him that he was burying another member of his community, someone he had owed so much to, for saving Carl, for giving Anamika a fighting chance, for patching him up various times.

"You were right. I knew it when you said it."

Daryl didn't respond to Carol's quiet words, to the hopelessness that was present in her voice. Another person he had failed. He didn't want Carol to feel like this, to feel such a hopeless acceptance at what their life had become, but he couldn't respond to her, couldn't reassure her. His entire mind was focused on his task, trying to shy away from the accusing thoughts that niggled at him like cancer. He just continued shoveling, stuck in his own mind, as he buried the person who was Anamika's only hope.

_Weak and useless man…_

WD

Daryl sat besides Anamika's bed, holding her hand in his one. His skin was dirty, covered in sweat and grime and he was almost afraid to hold her pale, clean hand in his. But he needed her touch, needed her reassuring presence.

All he got was silence.

Her chest rose and fell gently, her face slack and he felt his eyes burn, even though no tears would make an appearance. It's been a few days now since she came back half-dead and he didn't know what to do anymore. Denise was dead, the saviors and Dwight was still out there and he felt lost, cast adrift in an ocean.

The longer he sat there, thinking about the events of yesterday, the more he felt anger rising up in him. It was an emotion he was well used to feeling, one that reared its ugly head each time he felt uncertain earlier in his life. The last year or so had done a lot to calm him down, the presence of his group, his family helping him stay focused.

But all that was falling apart now. With the saviors' attack on them by the railway, everyone now knew that there was more of them besides those they had killed at the Satellite building. Thinking back, they should have realized it, as the people who had taken Maggie and Carol captive had called for reinforcements, which was a sure sign they had more buildings, more people. However, the relief they felt at getting them back unharmed and the trauma he could see on the two women's' faces when they found them, had pushed any such revelations to the back of his head.

He leaned forward, gently brushing some of Anamika's hair out of her face, his thumb lingering on his cheekbone, softly rubbing the skin. A streak of dirt was left behind as he pulled away and his teeth clenched. That was all he did, mess everything up.

_Useless_

Standing, he bent over and brushed a whisper of a kiss against her brow, before straightening, his blue eyes taking in her still form.

_Weak_

An unholy fire started to build in his gaze as it swept her unconscious form one more time, before he turned and walked out of the room.

_Failure_

He had to make this right.

WD

"Tell Carl I'll be back soon.  _No one_  else leaves! Everyone stays ready for a fight."

Rick jogged to the car Morgan was in, his mind a flurry of thoughts that hammered at his patience. Carol had left in the night, leaving only a note behind as an explanation; Daryl had left that morning, on some sort of revenge mission, with Michonne, Glenn and Rosita going after him. Anna was still unconscious and they were dangerously understaffed at Alexandria, with most of the experienced fighters gone in the event that they should be attacked. He grit his teeth, a scowl on his face as Morgan drove out the gates.

He had known that Daryl wasn't well, had known it since he had come running into Alexandria with a bloodied and unconscious Anna in his arms. The man had only become worse with their raid on the Saviors and then Denise's death. He should have seen this coming, should have known that Daryl wouldn't sit back and do nothing, but he had thought that they had moved past most of the impulsive anger Daryl had held. Of course, that was before Anna was attacked and in a coma, causing Daryl to revert back to a previous self of him.

His brow furrowed and eyes narrowed, Rick determined that today was just not his day.

WD

In the Alexandria infirmary, abandoned except for one patient, startling blue eyes opened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, there you guys go! As an apology for taking so long to post this chapter, I'm already slaving away at t he next and hope to get it up at the latest tomorrow, so you guys can have a quick update:) Things are picking up the pace from here;) Please let me know your thoughts on this chapter and what's coming!


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, as promised! I'd love to hear what you guys expect for the next chapter or even events/interactions you'd like to see more of! Thanks for the kudos, I get so excited every time my inbox lights up! And thank you zozozo and Tay_Reads2797 for commenting, even when you knew another chapter was coming soon :D
> 
> Enjoy!

Rick drove back into Alexandria, his mind heavy with the knowledge that he and Morgan hadn't found Carol, but at least they  _had_  found the scene of devastation she left behind. The sight had reassured Rick, knowing he could count on Carol to survive and take care of herself, but he would still prefer it if the woman was back with them, where she belonged.

He got out of the car as Abraham closed the gate behind him, his body tired but his senses alert.

"Morgan's still out there looking. Is Michonne here?

"She's still out there too." Rick sighed, rubbing his eyes as concern filled his already anxious mind. He turned back to the man besides him as Abraham talked again.

"You afraid… to go back to it? With somebody close..." The military man had an unusual expression of worry on his face, his eyes filled with disquiet and uncertainty.

"Yeah." Abraham's brow was furrowed as he hmm'ed, the lines on his face seeming more pronounced.

"Me too…" he said softly, "But now, I think I'm that much more ready to tear the world a brand new arsehole."

Rick shook his head, a small smile on his lips at the gruff man's words, knowing exactly how the redhead felt and agreeing wholeheartedly with him. He would do anything for his family, for Michonne, even tearing the world a new arsehole, as Abraham so crudely stated.

"Any second now. Yeah...any second."

The two men stood quietly, watching the gate and waiting for their family to return, the moment seeming to stretch on and on. Until it didn't.

"Dad! DAD!" Rick spun around, his eyes wide as he searched for Carl, his son's voice loud as he ran towards him.

"Carl? Wha-"

"Dad, Anna woke up! She's  _awake_ Dad!" Rick's heart stuttered and barely sparing Abraham a glance, he started running, his son by his side as they made their way towards the infirmary. Taking the porch steps two at a time, he burst into the house, quickly walking through it till he came to Anna's room. When he entered, it felt like his breath was knocked from him and he had to pause, his eyes drinking up the sight before him.

Anna was sitting upright in the bed, her gaze turned out the window as her fingers fidgeted in her lap. She seemed a thousand miles away, but she was awake and upright and Rick couldn't ask for more. He wished more than ever that Daryl was here, especially when her blue gaze turned towards him.

"Anna…" He croaked, his voice cracking in relief at seeing someone he considered a sister awake when no one thought she would awaken. A small smile lit her face and she held out a hand that he immediately moved forward to take, settling on the chair at the side of her bed.

"R-Rick." Her voice was hoarse and it sounded painful to talk.

"We thought...You-...Daryl…" Rick stumbled over his words, not sure what to say and his mind overcome with the knowledge that this was really happening.

"Wh-where-"

"Daryl's… out. I'll tell you everything that happened, but first, how are you feeling, do you need anything?" Anna grimaced, her hand rising to her neck to gently touch the bandage.

"It burns a bit." Rick's eyes narrowed, knowing that anything could have happened to the wound since Denise died, since he wasn't sure if someone had changed the bandages since.

"I think we should take you to Hilltop, get their doctor to check out your wound and make sure it didn't take a turn for the worse."

"H-hilltop? But what... about Denise? C-can't... she ch-check it?" Rick watched as Anna's eyes seemed to fill with dread when she saw his own serious expression and he knew she had an idea of what was coming.

"Anna… Denise was killed. She went out with Daryl and Rosita on a run and they were ambushed. She...she didn't make it."

"Wha… Is Daryl-"

"Yes, Daryl is fine and so is Rosita, but they're both hurting." Anna nodded, her forehead lined deeply as she looked down at her lap.

"Ambushed b-by... who?" Rick felt a heavy weight settle on his shoulders, dreading having to tell Anna everything that had happened and the danger the community was in now.

"They're called Saviors." Anna's expression immediately changed and Rick paused, his keen eyes taking in the hard glint in her eyes and tense shoulders.

"You know them…"He said slowly, the tension in her body coiling tighter as she shifted slightly.

"Yes… They w-were the ones who attacked me and caused me... to end up like this. But… I have a h-history with them that begins lo-long before this attack." Rick settled back, his gaze focused on the woman in front of him. He could feel Carl hovering outside the door, wanting to come in, but knowing better than to interrupt.

"What kind of history?" Anna's expression was thunderous and her voice, though still hoarse, came out stronger than before, barely stumbling over her words now.

"I had a run-in with them a f-few months ago. Killed all but one and got h-heavily injured in the process. Their l-leader, Negan, sent his  _saviors_ ," Anamika sneered the word, her expression full of loathing, "after me to either capture or k-kill me. I sho...showed him why that was a bad idea."

"What do you mean you...showed him?" Anna's eyes darkened and the former sheriff could feel the weight of her gaze on him as she scrutinized him. When she answered, her voice was soft, but filled with steel.

"I attacked one of his outposts while he was visiting. Killed all the saviors there and injured him. Almost killed him too, but he got away. I showed him it wasn't worth it to mess with me. They mostly left me alone after that."

Rick's breath rushed out and a hand lifted to rub at his brow, feeling his head start to pound. It was such a… Anna thing to do. Taking on an entire outpost on her own… Outpost…

Rick's head shot up, his eyes pinning the startled woman where she sat, his voice cracking like a whip.

" _One_  of his outposts? Meaning there's more than one? How many?"

"I don't know. I heard Negan w-was going to be visiting an outpost in Triangle from the radio I took from... one of the saviors I captured. They have a m-main base somewhere, but I never managed to find it. With how many people was at Triangle a-and the level of security Negan arrived in, I'm guessing they have a large scale o-operation going on, with probably at least a hundred people."

The weight on Rick's shoulders pressed down on him, his mind cast into disarray as he thought about the threat they now faced. If this group really had that kind of manpower…

"Rick, did the saviors find this place? I was certain they were far enough away to not notice us, especially as I've seen that they tend to focus their attentions in other areas. I mean, a lot could have changed in the months since my initial run-in with them, but it seems odd."

"We...we attacked them."

"What?" Anna's icy gaze was focused on Rick and not for the first time, Rick wished that she had been there when they went to Hilltop the first time and brokered the deal. She would have been able to warn them and shed more light on a situation they had thought simple.

"Hilltop...Hilltop was under the Savior's control. We said we would take out the saviors in exchange for food and supplies. Only now… Now I know we only took out an outpost, probably. It would have alerted the rest of the saviors that there's a new player around. I thought we had taken out Negan in that attack."

Anna nodded, her gaze serious as she squeezed her hands together, before responding, "Negan wears a leather jacket with a red scarf and carries around a bat wrapped in barbed wire. Was that who you took out?"

Rick shook his head mutely and his eyes closed in dread at Anna's next words.

"Then Negan is still alive… and he's ruthless and revenge-driven."

It all seemed too much and Rick wished it would all just be over, that they wouldn't have to fight, day after day, even as he knew that was a useless pipe dream.

"Regardless of everything, I'm happy you're awake Anna. We… we were worried we were going to lose you." Anna's eyes softened and she reached out to take Rick's hand again, squeezing it gently.

"I'm fine now Rick. What those bastards did… Not just to me, but to Denise and all of you as well, they won't get away with it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but we will get those arseholes and show them to not mess with us." She stated to Rick, her voice hoarse after being strangled, her body frail after her prolonged state of unconsciousness, her hair tangled and limp, but her eyes burning with an unholy fire and her jaw clenched determinedly. Her words struck a chord deep inside Rick and a grim smile graced his face as he squeezed her hand back.

"Yeah. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but we will…"

A comfortable silence enveloped, but Rick could see Anna glancing at him from time to time, before she took a deep breath and broke the silence. Rick wished she hadn't.

"Rick… Where's D-Daryl now?" The trepidation in her voice was reflected in her face as Rick pinched the bridge of his nose, before sitting forwards, his gaze on hers.

"He...He went after the saviors that killed Denise. He was so broken up after you came back, on death's door and with Denise dying… He's just filled with anger at the moment." Panic filled the gaze of the woman across him and her voice was high as she replied.

"What? R-Rick, he can't go after them, they're a lot more people than he is, he's g-going to get himself killed! W-we have to go after him!" Rick jumped up as Anna threw back the covers, struggling to stand up as her legs were shaking too badly to keep her weight.

"Anna, Anna calm down! Michonne, Glenn and Rosita went after him, I'm sure they'll be back any second now. In the meantime, we need to get you to Hilltop. The doctor needs to check your wound, we don't want it to become infected."

"But-"

"No buts. You  _need_  to see a doctor Anna, you're too weak to go after Daryl now."

"Rick-" Anna's complaint was interrupted by a commotion outside the room and the next moment, Enid rushed in, Carl following her.

"Something's wrong with Maggie, she says it's the baby!"

WD

Anamika sat inside Rick's house, her hand clutching Maggie's. All around her people were rushing about, grabbing the things they needed and loading it into the RV as Maggie moaned, tears running down her cheeks. Anamika wiped the sweat from Maggie's brow, trying to ignore the burning in her throat and the small beads of sweat on her own brow.

She had stubbornly followed Rick out of the infirmary when Enid brought news of Maggie, though Carl had to help her as her legs seemed to want to buckle out from under her every few seconds. Rick had thrown her an exasperated look, but she ignored him and slowly made her way to where everyone was clustered around a crying Maggie.

Rick had quickly took control, delegating tasks and telling her in no uncertain terms that she was to sit down by Maggie and wait. They needed to get Maggie to Hilltop as fast as possible, and since Rick had wanted her to see a doctor anyway, she was going with. She would never admit it to Rick, but with how her throat burned, she thought he was probably right in that she needed medical attention.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up to see Sasha smiling at Abraham, her hand running down his arm before she left the house, leaving the redheaded man to stare after her. As if feeling Anamika's gaze on him, he turned to meet her eyes and she smirked.

"So, you and Sasha huh?" He glanced at Maggie, whose eyes were closed as she breathed deeply, not paying attention to anything but what was happening in her own body. He came closer, walking surprisingly soft for such a large man and gingerly sat on a chair nearby, rubbing his beard as he regarded her.

"I'm glad for you." Anamika stated, smiling softly and was amazed to see an equally soft smile on the man's face, one she wasn't aware he was capable of.

"Hmm. And how you doing wildcat? That cut fucking up your morning?" Chuckling softly, Anamika nodded at Abraham, answering in a wry tone.

"You know it. Can't even sing a fucking song or walk on my own. How does that even work, my throat cut, but my legs are the ones impaired?"

"Well, Sleeping Beauty, that tends to happen when you lie on your back all day like a whore in a whorehouse." Snorting, she punched the man on the arm, his grin unrepentant as he teased her.

"Still good enough to land you flat on your back big guy."

"Whatever princess, we both know you ain't even got the strength to land a wet behind the ears greenie on his back at the moment, nevermind me."

Mock scowling at the military man, Abraham reached over and patted her shoulder, before he left the house, leaving Anamika smiling at his back. Despite his crude words, she knew the man meant well and couldn't help but find him amusing.

It wasn't long after that Carl came back in the house, helping Anamika stand and leading her to the RV, while Abraham carried Maggie into the vehicle behind her. She watched as they settled Maggie, the woman grimacing with every jostle, and Anamika retook her place next to Maggie. The pregnant woman gratefully gripped her hand, a strained smile on her face as her eyes fluttered shut.

"Let's go." She heard Rick say as he climbed into the RV and then they were off. Aaron came to sit with them for a while, his eyes worried as he glanced at Anamika, but she just smiled and watched his gentle face as he offered Maggie some silent support. When Rick came to the back, Anamika followed Aaron out, as the room was small and she wanted to give Rick some privacy to talk to Maggie.

Carl beckoned her over and she gratefully sank onto the seat beside him, her hand coming up to gently cup her neck, which was still burning slightly. It was more uncomfortable than painful, but she was more anxious about what it meant.

"You alright? Is your throat hurting more than before?" Anamika smiled at the concern in Carl's voice, the young man watching her with serious eyes.

"No, I'm alright. It'll take more than this to keep me down." Carl smiled at her false bravado and she returned it, before laying her head on his, closing her eyes in an attempt to get some rest. Abraham's crude words ten minutes later put an end to that attempt.

"What the bitch?"

She opened her eyes, sitting up and peering out the front windshield, only to have her body tensing up as she saw the group of saviors standing in the middle of the road. Scanning them, she realised with a start that she recognized the apparent leader of the group. He was the one who had helped Negan escape and if she remembered correctly…

Yes, she could see one of his hands was missing three fingers, while his pointer finger was cut off at the second knuckle, from where she had shot him during the attack. She quickly sat back, praying he hadn't seen her inside the RV.

"What?" Rick barked, coming out of the room he had kept Maggie company in.

"Enemy close," Abraham said, stopping the RV and waiting for Rick to take in the situation, "We doing this?"

"No." Rick stated, before turning to get out of the vehicle as Abraham turned off the engine.

"Rick." Anamika reached out and grabbed his hand, halting him from getting out. His intense gaze turned to her questioningly and she pointed towards where the saviors were.

"The leader, the one missing some fingers on one of his hands, he was there that night, when I…" she paused, aware that there were other people around, but Rick seemed to know what she was referring to, "Anyway, it's better if they don't know I'm here, it'll only make things more difficult for you."

Holding her gaze, the man she was coming to regard as a brother nodded, before leaving the RV to confront the saviors, everyone except her and Maggie following him out. She carefully moved to the back, sitting down next to Maggie and holding her hand, the woman's eyes fluttering open at her touch. She was aware of the threats and back and forth Rick and the fingerless savior engaged in, but kept her attention focused on Maggie's exhausted face.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, just a little roadblock. You just focus on yourself and the baby. Get some rest maggie, you need your strength." Despite her worried expression, Maggie closed her eyes and pressed herself deeper into her pillow. She exhaled slowly as Anamika carded her fingers through her hair, humming softly so as not to agitate her throat more than necessary. It wasn't long before the others got back into the RV, their expressions stern and tension lining their bodies as the RV backed up, the last words of the savior that she had managed to catch still echoing in her ears.

" _What if it's the last day on earth for you? For someone you love. What if that's true? Maybe you should be extra nice to those people in that RV, coz you never know, just like that. Be kind to each other, like you said…_

_Like it was your last day on earth."_

WD

Pain pulsed through his shoulder, his head swimming and his vision blurred. Sweat drenched his body and sounds blurred together. He was sitting in darkness, small piercings of sunlight coming through the holes in the vehicle doors, but he couldn't focus on that. His breath was heavy in the enclosed space and his stomach roiled. Despite all the mind-numbing agony, despite the nausea and fever, only one thought hung in his mind.

_Anamika…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, things are starting to heat up. I guess you can all guess who is going to make an appearance in the next chapter ~smirk~ Please let me know what you guys think, I love hearing from my readers!


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter and it's the start of what we've all been waiting for! I actually had this chapter ready last weekend, but where I ended it made me feel bad, as I end it right as stuff and thangs really start. So, I decided to type another chapter, but then that one had a hectic ending, so I had to type another chapter. So, though you had a longer wait, the good news is that the next two chapters after this one is fully typed, so with some motivation, I might post them early for you guys;)
> 
> I will warn you, in the next few chapters, even though I'm making canon my toy, there is a lot of canon dialogue, either exactly as it is in the show or slightly adjusted to account for Anamika. this is such an important moment that I wanted to keep it as close as possible to the show... well, the parts that i'm not completely reinventing that is;)
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and to zozozo and Denise58 for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika breathed deeply, her eyes shut tightly.

"-want visibility."

"-Golf course, country club,-"

She was aware of Sasha and Eugene discussing routes as they were bent over the map; of Aaron and Carl's quiet murmurs from inside the next room, but she paid them no mind.

"-longer trip by a third, but we get the scenic safety-"

Her hand rested gently on her throat, the burning only seeming to become worse as time went on. She didn't know if it was because she was developing an infection or because she's been pushing herself too much, despite not really doing anything, but she couldn't ignore the sensation any longer.

"-got a route?"

She swallowed, willing the pain to the back of her mind as she opened her eyes, seeing Abraham making his way to the wheel and Rick glance at the door where a walker was now snarling and groaning as it tried to get in.

"Let's go." She sighed, slouching into herself where she sat on the bench, settling her mind at Rick's words. She had to be ready for anything.

The silence was only broken by quiet murmurs from the front, where Abraham and Sasha were talking and at the back she could hear Aaron whispering to Maggie.

"Think we could do it?" Abraham's gruff voice caught Anamika's attention, his tone strangely soft for the military man.

"What?" Sasha asked and Anamika also waited to hear what Abraham meant. She was ready to intervene if he was going to start talking about taking the saviors on with his bare hands.

"What they did, Glenn and Maggie? Just... asking if you could do that. If you're doing something as big as that... if that's living."

Anamika's eyes widened as she quickly looked down, swallowing. Abraham… Abraham was talking about having a baby. The gruff, buff, red-headed military man was considering starting a family. Of course, it's not that she thought he wouldn't make a good father or anything, it's just that he didn't seem to be the type to want a baby in the bloody apocalypse.

Apparently, he just hadn't met the right woman. She hid her smile behind her hair as she heard Abraham basically tell Sasha he wanted to start a family with her and Sasha's small smile that started to grow on her face. She had a feeling that little Judith and Glenn and Maggie's baby was going to have a new friend in the next year or so. Smiling, she closed her eyes, getting her head back in the game as she swallowed the pain away and she wiped her forehead of the slight beads of sweat that had gathered there. She had to be ready. They didn't know what was coming, but she wanted to be sure they all made it, so that she could spoil all their kids rotten one day. She would fight for that future.

"Bitch Nuts."

She sighed, already knowing what that meant as everyone looked out the windshield window, no doubt looking upon another blockade of saviors.

"We making our stand?"

"Yeah, we end it." Anamika closed her eyes at Carl's answer to Sasha's question, understanding where the young man was coming from, but knowing they couldn't start a fight now. She wasn't on her game and they had Maggie to worry about. That left them vastly outnumbered. Rick glanced back, catching her eyes and she shook her head lightly. He nodded, turning back to look out the window.

"No, not now. They've been waiting, they're ready. With one of us behind the wheel that's six on… sixteen, and that's if Anna can fight. We're gonna play it our way, how we want it. Right?"

"Right." Anamika croaked, holding back the urge to clear her throat. Carl met his father's gaze, pausing a moment, before nodding slightly.

"Right."

"Right, go slow." Anamika leaned back, her head thumping against the side of the RV. She really hoped they made it to Hilltop without trouble, but with how the saviors had now been waiting for them not once, but twice, made her really doubt the ride would be smooth from here on. She knew how big their operation is, how many people they have to spare. The sound of gunshots made her sit up, her eyes turning to the front as the RV slowly turned around. Several more went off, seemingly to intimidate them, but something niggled at Anamika's mind.

"Rick…" The man she regarded as a brother now glanced at her, his eyes attentive.

"That sound will carry for miles. Everyone will know our position." Rick's gaze hardened, even as Carl breathed out a quiet, "It's a signal."

Anamika couldn't say it's a fact, but she was pretty sure that it was a signal. Meaning there were more groups in the area. It seemed Rick had the same idea, because he came to crouch in front of her, his gaze serious as it met her exhausted one.

"Tell me everything you know." Closing her eyes briefly, she swallowed again, before inclining her chin as she met his blue eyes with her own. As she spoke, it seemed everyone fell quiet as they listened.

"The group that calls themselves the saviors are ruthless. They're tenacious and they have the manpower to back it up. It's nothing to them to carry out a large-scale operation like this. That satellite building you attacked was just an outpost, with just a few men. I'm not sure about exact numbers, but since I attacked an outpost before, I'm assuming they have several spread around the area. The saviors are lead by someone called Negan. He's incredibly cunning, cruel and arrogant, but also has the charm and raw power to back it up and keep control of his group. I know they have stores of supplies, I burned down one of their buildings before-"

"Hang on wildcat. You saying you tangoed with these guys before? Why the fuck didn't you say anything?"

Anamika cast a glare at Abraham, who didn't seem to mind that he was the one driving and should so keep his attention focused on the road. She exhaled, harshly, wincing as she immediately regretted it and gently touched her throat.

"Yeah, I've gone up against them before. But to be honest, I never thought they'd be a problem for you guys. It's been months since my run-in with the saviors and I had settled it. It's my fault for underestimating them and forgetting about a potential problem."

Rick spoke up, holding up his hand to stall the questions she could see on everyone's lips, "Wait, let Anna speak."

"Anyway, I had burned down one of their supply buildings after they attacked me and then one of their outposts when Negan wouldn't stop sending his saviors after me. I killed most of the people at the outpost in that attack, and injured Negan and his right-hand man, that guy at the first blockade. But when I was distracted, Negan managed to escape. However, he stopped sending men after me, so I kinda put him out of my mind. It was dumb, since I could see just from his bearing and how his people treated him that he shouldn't be underestimated. Negan rules with an iron fist. His people bow in his presence, which just shows his narcissistic nature, but he also has cruel punishments. He burns them, with an iron from what I could see when I attacked the outpost. He was killing someone with his bat then, but there had been this fireplace with a hot iron behind him at the time. I think it depends on the severity of their crime and Negan's general mood if they're killed or just get severe burns."

Eugene nodded, "That would explain the third degree burns present on the savior who attempted to hold me hostage before I bit him in the crotch."

Anamika goggled at Eugene; she never heard about this! Looking up, she found a grinning Abraham peer back at her and Rick rolling his eyes, which was all the confirmation she needed. She turned back to the unassuming mullet-man, blinking, before a wide grin spread across her face and she clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"You, my man, are brutal… I love it!" Eugene nodded as if it was old news, but she liked to imagine he had a slight blush on his expressionless face.

"As Eugene said, that's probably why that guy had a burned face; he was punished for something. That should already tell you all you need to know about Negan. However, Negan is well-groomed and wore clean clothes, meaning he has a formidable base where they can afford stuff like that. None of his people looked starved either, so they're probably not short on food. Actually, I remember the saviors at the storehouse mentioning something about wives and make up, so they have the security to care about such frivolous things as well. It also sounded like they had other sources of supplies and though I can't really remember the names of those sources, with what you told me about Hilltop, I think we can agree they have some communities under their thumbs.

"That means that all this," Anamika gestured to the road outside in the direction the blockade was in, "is old news to them and something they're used to doing. They have the high ground in this situation and know it. We need to be careful, or we're going to walk right into their trap."

Rick was rubbing his beard, his eyes far away as he contemplated what Anamika had just told them. She could see the apprehension, but also the determination in all their eyes and wished she could have given them better news.

Rick stood, walking forward to crouch between Abraham and Sasha's seats, his eyes focused on the road before them. After a moment, he glanced at the redhead.

"How are we on gas?"

"Half a tank, I pulled some more cans before we left."

"Those weren't the same men who blocked the road before. It makes sense with what Anna told us." Sasha spoke up, eyeing Rick.

"Yeah, the fact that they had the same outfits mean they have discipline. They're Negan's own fucking army."

"Yeah, but we know now, we can plan for it. Just keep driving, we get her there." Anamika looked away from Rick, not able to help the chill going down her spine at his words. She knew this group, these remarkable people that had become like family to her could withstand almost anything, but not when they were split up and losing their cool. Daryl, Glenn, Michonne and Rosita were who knows where, Maggie was having problems with her pregnancy, she herself was weak at the moment, having just woken up from her unconscious state. They weren't ready to take on a group like the saviors. Yet she knew they didn't really have a choice, even as she struggled to keep her fear at bay.

That fear just became worse as they encountered another blockade, a line of chained walkers. She was already on edge when her group got out to clear the walkers, it just got worse at the sounds of gunshots and her people rushing back into the RV. She had been counting them, making sure they all got back in safely, when Aaron crouched in front of her and her eyes fell on the green feathered bolt in his hands. Her own hands shaking, she reached out, her fingertips caressing the wood and looked up to meet Aaron's gentle, anxious gaze, something she couldn't name in his eyes as her own lips opened in confusion.

"It… was in one of the walkers outside. Michonne's hair was also in another one. Anna…"

Her mind was a jumbled mess as she clutched the bolt close. They had Daryl and Michonne, probably Glenn and Rosita as well. Closing her eyes, she rubbed her forehead and looked up to meet Rick's gaze, his eyes reflecting her worry as he clutched Michonne's hair between his fingers. Carl's eyes were hard like stone and his shoulders hunched up as he glared out the window and she knew it wasn't easy for any of them.

She was aware of Eugene and Sasha brainstorming over the map again, but she only had eyes for Rick, seeing something in his eyes that caused her apprehension to grow.

"They were firing at our feet. They blocked the road, but they weren't trying to stop us. They want us in this direction." A thought that had poked at her since her entire group made it safely back into the RV after the shootout was confirmed with Rick's words and she closed her eyes, the worry and fear that weighed on her causing her head to start pounding.

Pressing her fingers against her temple, she tried to block out all the voices around her, the palpable fear that hung in the air as she tried to get her breathing under control. She felt a hand on her forehead and saw through slit eyes Aaron's face hovering in front of her, before she closed them and blocked out everyone again. She kept her eyes closed as they encountered another blockade and turned back and then another one after that.

She could feel the desperation in the vehicle rising, but as much as she wanted to help, she knew she couldn't. It wouldn't be good if the saviors saw her and at the moment, with her head pounding and her throat burning, with sweat collecting on her back and her hands shaking slightly, she knew she wouldn't be of much help anyway.

She must have blacked out for a moment, as the next thing she knew, Aaron was crouching in front of her, his hand cool on her cheek.

"Anna, we're going to leave the RV. Eugene has a plan, he's going to take the RV and be the decoy. We're going to head to Hilltop on foot as soon as it's dark, which will be soon. Are you up for it?"

Taking a deep breath, she sat up and nodded, pushing the pain to the back of her mind and focusing her mind on what they had to do. She wasn't feeling her best, but she wasn't nearly as bad as Maggie and she could run if she had to.

"A-Aaron. Is there a piece of cloth or a hoodie in the RV?" Though he looked confused, the kind man nevertheless stood up and rummaged through the closet in the back room, emerging with a black piece of cloth, the material thin but coarse. Thanking him, she twisted her auburn curls into a low, loose bun, securing it with a hair tie she found in the pocket of her jeans she had changed into before they left. Taking the cloth, thankful it was large enough, she wrapped it around her head and around her neck, before drawing one part across her face and tucking it into the folds around her neck. Only her eyes could be seen now and she hoped it was enough that if they were glimpsed, she wouldn't be recognized.

Standing up, she paused for a moment to make sure her legs could hold her, still feeling a bit shaky but knowing she couldn't be a problem now. The group already had enough problems. While Rick was topping up the gas and everyone else preparing Maggie and anything else they might need, Anamika climbed out the RV, pacing up and down to get her legs used to moving again. She started slow, her hand trailing the side of the RV and stumbling every now and then, but with each pass her legs got stronger and stronger. She knew it isn't even close to her usual mobility, but by the time the others carried Maggie out of the vehicle, she was certain she could at least run, even if it wouldn't be very fast.

She patted Eugene on the shoulder as she passed him, her smile warm and encouraging, before she followed the rest into the dark woods, ready for anything they might encounter.

Or so she thought.

They had been walking for a few hours and were less than six miles from Hilltop. She had to admit, the prolonged hike was starting to drag on her, but she determinedly kept going. It would be sunrise in about three or four hours and they had to be at Hilltop by then, because sunlight meant it was easier for the saviors to find them.

She was walking at the back of the group, knowing that Carl was guarding the front and so she was determined to make sure the back was covered as well. She could hear Carl's voice as he talked to Rick, even if she couldn't hear exactly what he was saying, but she was more focused on peering into the mist and seeing imagined shadows flickering in their depths. When the first whistle echoed around them, she had thought it was in her mind, just like the flickering shadows. The alarmed reactions of the group, however, told her that it unfortunately was not. The whistles came from all around them, eery and smothering them, laying over them like a heavy cloak and she could feel her breath coming faster.

It was Rick's shout of 'Go!' that spurred them all into action, and it was only because they were weighted down with carrying Maggie that she managed to keep up with them at all as they ran. Her gun was up as her eyes flitted about, but the darkness of the night and the blanket of mist obscured their vision. It took everything she had to not trip over roots and branches as she ran after the Rick and them, the whistles seeming to nip at their heels.

The cloth wrapped around her head stuck to her skin and hair as it was soaked in her sweat and she gasped as she ran, focusing on keeping one foot in front of the other. She was so absorbed in trying to keep herself upright that she almost barreled into Abraham's back as bright spotlights blazed on in front of them, pinning them as her body flinched at the unexpected light. Her eyes widened as she looked around, seeing the saviors that had them surrounded, dozens upon dozens of men standing in a loose circle, caging them in a clearing. She blinked the sweat out of her eyes as she saw the RV parked off to the side, Eugene's crying form on his knees a few yards away from them.

Seeing the danger they were in, the trap they had been cornered in, she felt her mind slow down, an unnatural lucidness settling over her thoughts. She was still terrified, still fraught with anxiety and pain, but it was smothered underneath a blanket of clarity and laser sharp focus. Her expression smoothed out, even though no one could see it under the wrap, and her eyes hardened. She would not let these people see her fear.

"Good. You made it. Welcome to where you're going. We'll take your weapons, now." Anamika's eyes narrowed as the man aimed his gun at Carl, his cocky demeanor rubbing her the wrong way for a man who lost some of his fingers to her. As much as she just wanted to finish the job, she knew the group would be in even bigger trouble if Negan found out she was with them, as she was sure he had a sizable grudge against her, so she just lowered her eyes, trying to fade into obscurity.

"We can talk about it-"

"We're done talking. Time to listen." Anamika darted a glance at Rick, seeing the fear in his eyes and hearing the barely noticeable quiver in his voice. He had realized, just like her, exactly how bad the situation they were in now was. The chances of them making it through the night without losing someone and their community was small and that terrible truth was filling Rick's entire being. She wished she could reassure him, but she didn't know how to without lying.

She stood quietly as their weapons were liberated from their persons, trying not to make eye contact, but she couldn't help tensing when the leader bent in front of Carl, his face inches away from the teens. If he tried anything…

"That's yours right? Yeah, it's yours." Her entire body twitched forward as the man flicked Carl's hat, her mouth twisted into a vicious snarl under her head wrap. As soon as the savior had turned away, she took quick steps towards Carl, coming to stand right behind him as she met Rick's gaze, inclining her head slightly. She'd look out for Carl, if that's the last thing she does.

"Ok, let's get her down and get you all on your knees. Lots to cover." Glancing at the rest of her group, she stayed by Carl's side, watching as Abraham and Rick helped Maggie down after stopping the saviors from touching her. She swallowed, filing the burning sensation in her throat to the back of her mind, as she had bigger problems than the pain and sweat that coated her body.

Rick seemed lost as he looked at the rest of their group, as if he was still trying to wrap his head around how it could have turned this bad so quickly. The leader walked forward, standing smugly in front of him, staring him down coolly.

"Gonna need you on your knees." Anamika watched as Rick met everyone's gaze and she saw the same thing he did, the way the group looked to him for strength. She knew, in that pivotal moment, that if Rick went on his knees first, it would break something in this group. It would irrevocably show that their leader, their pillar of strength, was broken and under the boot of someone else.

And she couldn't have that.

Anamika wasn't being arrogant when she thought that she was, in the absence of Daryl, Rick's second-in-command. She might not have known the group as long as they had known each other, but in terms of ability, strategy and trust she stood on the same pedestal as Rick and Daryl, especially as she had the complete support of Alexandria behind her, foolish as their initial reasons for that support might be. Her efforts to secure and fortify Alexandria only cemented that position.

Besides Daryl and Rick, she was the other great pillar of strength to the group, the one they looked to for solutions and her current weakness in no way diminished that respect. The difference between her and Daryl was that she, despite not being a social butterfly herself, was more approachable and integrated in the community. The difference between her and Rick was that when she said something to Rick, he listened; but when Rick said something to her, she  _made it happen_.

Rick was their king, the one they all pledged to follow. Daryl was their shield, the one who always protected them. She was their sword, the one who would take out their enemies. It is that distinction between her and Rick that would allow what she was going to do next to work.

Rick couldn't be the first to go on his knees. So she would.

Anamika dropped down, keeping her head and shoulders straightened in pride as she looked forward. Rick gazed at her as she turned to meet his eyes, her own hard, before she gazed at everyone else. Her gaze was strong and confident even as she kneeled on the ground in front of the saviors. Rick nodded and  _listened_.

Slowly, he got to his knees, the act looking less like a surrender and more like a king taking counsel from his army's commander and following their lead, confident that they had a plan. Even if she didn't have a plan or they don't come out of this night unscathed, their group will remember that their leader only kneeled because she advised it, not because he was broken. The group followed and soon everyone was on the ground, though looking no less proud.

Carl was to her right and Eugene to her left. On Carl's other side Aaron kneeled, with Sasha next to him. Rick and Abraham were either side of Maggie, trying to protect her as much as they could with their presence. She pushed back the thought that they were like pigs lined up for the slaughter.

She caught Carl's eyes, her gaze sliding over the scarring on the side of his head as he turned to look at her. She knew he couldn't see her face, but her eyes were enough. She saw his own gaze harden to stone as he nodded and turned back to the front. The leader, who she's been ignoring till now, called out a name that had her turn back to the front, her gaze becoming a glare as she saw the man with a burnt face coming forward.

"Dwight! Chop-chop"

Dwight walked to another van, opening the doors.

"Come on, got people to meet!"

Her heart stuttered, her eyes widening and the tremble in her hands spreading to her entire body. Her eyes were stuck on a figure, a person wrapped in a dirty blanket and covered in sweat and blood, his hair hanging over his face limply as he breathed heavily.

_Daryl…_

A sob clawed at her throat, fighting to break free, but she knew she couldn't let it, couldn't let her weakness be so apparent.

_But it's Daryl…_

She closed her eyes, swallowing heavily and focusing on the burn in her throat as she tried to get her body under control. Her eyes opened and involuntarily slid to where Daryl now kneeled, joined by Michonne, Rosita and Glenn and looking worse than she had ever seen him before. She just wanted to run to him and yet she couldn't.

_But he's injured…_

Swallowing again, she bowed her head, her body quivering. Feeling a light touch on her hand, she looked up to see Carl gazing at her in worry, knowing the struggle she was in. She smiled, even though he couldn't see it, and squeezed his hand back. Exhaling shakily, she looked back up, seeing Daryl meeting Rick's gaze, his eyes sliding over the group, but she felt like he wasn't really paying attention, in too much pain and feeling too much hatred for the saviors. She was sure he didn't even notice her, wrapped up as she was and probably didn't even wonder about the mysterious extra the group had. That's good, if he didn't know she was there, he couldn't do something stupid.

"Alright! We got a full boat. Let's meet the man." The savior knocked on the RV door and Anamika glared ahead, knowing exactly who was going to step out of that vehicle and wishing that she had managed to kill him months ago. Fear clogged up her throat, but just like with the pain, she swallowed and pushed it to the back of her mind.

The RV door opened, a dark figure emerging from the depths, a man clad in leather, a red scarf and carrying a barbed wire-wrapped bat. His walk was cocky, his smirk was cocky, hell, even the way he slicked his hair back was cocky.

"Pissing our pants yet?" Anamika glared at Negan, the man looking exactly the way she remembered him, with just a fuckload more composure and swagger, his smug grin making her clench her jaw in an effort to not lash out, "Boy, do I have a feeling we're getting close... Yep. It's gonna be pee-pee pants city here real soon."

His voice was deep and measured, oozing confidence, the same confidence that was present in the leisure way he walked and if she wasn't specifically looking for it, she wouldn't even see the slight limp that was caused by the injury he sustained during her attack; where a wooden stake had been driven through the flesh of his leg, if she remembered correctly.

Negan paused, his grinning face looking out over them as he brought up his hand, his infernal bat resting on his shoulder, his tone mocking them even as she spied the cruel glint in his eyes.

" _Which one of you pricks is the leader?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooh, I'm so excited about the next few chapters! Drop me a line to let me know what you think is going to happen, because from now on, all bets are off!


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, here is the next chapter, and it has the scene in it which basically inspired most of the storyline. All I'm going to say, or rather ask of you before you read it, is to trust me.
> 
> Thanks for the follows and favourites, as well as to Denise58, Tay_Reads2797 and Noexceptions for commenting:) Also, I'm 12 comments away from having a 100 comments, which would make me incredibly happy and awe-filled, so please be amazing and leave me a comment!
> 
> Enjoy!

" _Which one of you pricks is the leader?"_

Anamika glared at the savior who stepped forward, his hand pointing to Rick, "It's this one...He's the guy." She watched as Negan strolled over to Rick, looking down on him as he observed their leader. She bowed her head, trying to remain inconspicuous, but intently listening to everything the man said.

"Hi. You're Rick, right? I'm Negan. And I do not appreciate you killing my men. Also, when I sent my people to kill your people for killing my people, you  _killed_  more of my people.  _Not cool..._  Not cool. You have... no... idea... how not cool that shit is. But I think you're gonna be up to speed shortly. Yeah... You are so gonna regret crossing me in a few minutes," A demented grin, that could have looked charming if she didn't know the type of man he was, crossed Negan's face, "Yes, you are.

"You see, Rick, whatever you do, no matter what, you don't mess with the new world order. And the new world order is this, and it's  _really_  very simple. So, even if you're  _stupid_ , which you very may well be, you can understand it. You ready? Here goes. Pay attention." The bat finally came down from his shoulder and Anamika's shoulders tensed as he lifted it to Rick's face, her entire being bristling at the threat posed to Rick.

" _Give me your shit... or I will kill you."_

She squeezed Carl's hand, which was still in hers and swallowed, trying to curb her bloodlust. Her animal side, the side that controls the white haze she goes into and consists mostly of her bloodlust, was telling her this guy was her prey, that he was frightened of her and that she almost killed him once and she could do it again. Her human side, the side ruled by logic and rationality, told her she was in the worst position possible and she could do nothing against him now, surrounded as he was by his minions and liberated of her weapons. She gritted her teeth, glaring at the ground in front of her.

"Today was career day. We invested a lot so you would know who I am and what I can do. You work for me now. You have shit, you give it to me. That's your job. Now, I know that is a  _mighty big, nasty_ pill to swallow, but  _swallow it_ you  _most certainly will_. You ruled th-"

Fucking hell, but this guy loved the sound of his own voice. He continued to speak and some part of her paid attention, but she couldn't help but let her mind wander as he monologues like a cliche villain. She examined and discarded various plans of escape or victory, since none actually lead to either escape or victory, her mind spinning and turning on itself. She considered showing herself, taking the brunt of his attention, but even if she sacrificed herself, she couldn't be sure it would save her family.

Family. It's amazing how she's only known these people for a few months and yet she was so close to them. She, who had sworn to not get close to anyone again, who has innocent blood on her hands and doesn't even know who she had been before all this. She glanced up, watching Daryl as he shivered where he kneeled, his gaze a bit unfocused but still managing to burn with a fire, a flame that she knew ignited in her the moment she saw him and realised the saviors had hurt him.

Negan was still going strong and she closed her eyes, his voice fading to the background like the buzzing of an annoying bug as she inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. The world became quiet around her, the night settling over her like a blanket, muffling the events that was happening at the moment. White creeped into her mind, but this time, she didn't feel out of control, she didn't feel like a berserker who was going to go on a murder spree. She didn't know for how long she was wrapped in this silent world, but she found that she didn't care.

She felt a calm acceptance. She might die this night, some of her family might die this night, but hell if she was going to let it happen quietly. She would do her best to protect her family, even if that meant sacrificing herself. As if the world was waiting for her to reach this conclusion, to strengthen her resolve, sound rushed back in, just in time for Negan's words to filter back into her mind.

" _So, now_... I'm gonna beat the holy hell outta one of you... This- this is Lucille, and she is  _awesome_... All this, all this is just so we can pick out which one of you gets the honor."

Anamika looked up, seeing the defeat on her family's faces and she knew, she knew she had to stop this. Negan was walking in front of the line, his smug grin a permanent fixture on his lips as he observed each one of them. He looked at Abraham, running a hand over his beard as he made a quip about shaving it in response to Abraham's admittedly impressive moustache. When he turned to Carl, she bent low, certain it was not yet time to reveal herself, still not sure if it would help any.

"You got one of our guns. Whoa. Yeah... You got a lot of our guns. Shit, kid, lighten up. At least cry a little." Negan chuckled as if he was making a little joke and out of the corner of her eye, she saw his gaze turn to her, his eyes narrowing in curiosity and lips opening in question or one of his hilariously not-funny quips, but at that moment Maggie moaned and slumped forward, breathing heavily as her hand clutched at the fabric at her stomach. Negan's head turned towards the pregnant woman and he stood up from his crouch and walked over to her. Anamika bit her bottom lip, not sure if she should be glad for the reprieve or worried that Negan would do something to Maggie. Not even Negan would kill an obviously sick woman right?

" _Jeesus_. You. Look. Shitty," As Negan was talking, Anamika cast her gaze around the saviors, trying to find a way to distract Negan, when her eyes landed on Arat, hidden behind the plethora of men circling them. The woman's gaze met hers and narrowed, then widened, her mouth opening.

"I should just put you out of your miser-"

"Negan." Negan paused and Anamika saw Glenn give a shaky sigh of relief as the man turned away from Maggie, his flinty gaze landing on Arat. For the first time that night, Anamika could see a hint of irritation in the man's eyes and she take it he didn't take too well to being interrupted.

"You better have a damn good reason to interrupt my little love chat with this  _fine_  young lady." Arat swallowed, but stepped forward nonetheless, jerking her chin in Anamika's direction. His gaze shifted to her, his eyes calculating and oh so curious.

"The one with the headwrap. She feels… oddly familiar. Why is she hiding her face?" Anamika tried as hard as she could to keep her body from tensing, but in the end it didn't matter, as every single person in her group who knew it was her underneath the headwrap, tensed and seemed more worried than ever. Negan, the stupidly smart bastard that he was, noticed their reaction right away and turned fully towards Anamika, his gaze becoming suspicious.

"Mighty good question that. I had assumed it was some towelhead, but maybe not. Take off the scarf, little lady." Anamika glared at him and for the first time that night, Negan met her eyes. For a moment, his body stilled as their eyes met, before Negan twitched, almost like he was trying to keep himself from flinching or stepping away. She gave a bloodthirsty grin, even knowing he can't see her face, but it seemed he didn't need to, as he, in forced casualness, took half a step back and rested his hand on his leg. She could see his fingers spasming on the material of his pants and assumed that was the leg that got injured in her attack.

"Simon! Take that fucking thing off her head!" Negan's voice was hard and confident, but she could hear the slight pitch to his voice that hadn't been present during his smooth monologue. She saw the savior who had lost his fingers to her step forward and she straightened for the first time since Negan stepped out of the RV. In the corner of her eye, she saw Daryl's narrow gaze trained on her, confused and then turned to meet Rick's panicked gaze.

A hand grabbed the material covering her head and face and pulled harshly, making her grunt and bow her head as her hair got pulled along with the material, pulling it out of the low messy bun she had placed it in. She heard more than one person gasp as her auburn hair tumbled over her back and face, glowing red in the harsh light and then she looked up.

Simon and Arat had stumbled backward, their faces twisted in fright as they moved away from her, as if her mere presence would burn them and Anamika saw the confused face of the other saviors. Negan had flinched, but she could see his jaw clench as he tried not to show any further reaction and she smiled in satisfaction, which only caused the slight fear in Negan's eyes to grow.

Chancing a glance to her side, Anamika fought not to react when she saw Daryl's wide, horrified gaze trained on her, his body leaning forward as if he could negate the distance between them with sheer will. He hadn't even known she had woken up and this was the most horrible way to discover that, as he couldn't come to her and they were surrounded by thugs and murderers who had it out for them.

As much as she wanted to reassure him, to show him how much she cared for him, she couldn't, as that would be handing Negan her weakness on a silver platter and she would lose her, admittedly small, advantage over the man. The man in question cleared his throat, swinging Lucille up to his shoulder as he strived for nonchalance, but she could see he was unnerved.

"Well well well, who have we here… If it isn't my old friend A. Look lads, it's miss A, our resident rat! What, no hello?" Anamika glared at him, her eyes burning and Negan shifted slightly. She smiled, her eyes cold and triumphant in the knowledge that she still inspired slight fear and trepidation in the man, despite being on her knees in front of him. Now that the rest of the saviors knew exactly who she was, she could see them shifting nervously, glancing at each other and some actually taking a step back, same as Simon and Arat.

She could practically feel her family's confusion at the widespread reaction to her presence, as it was one thing to hear about her encounters with the saviors, but another to see the actual evidence of it. Negan cleared his throat and swung Lucille down, thrusting the bat into her face. Anamika didn't even flinch and that seemed to piss him off and frighten him in equal parts. He pressed the barbed wire against her cheek and she saw Daryl tensing, but before he could react, a youthful voice spoke next to her, his tone strong and full of hate.

"Get that thing away from her,  _now_."

Negan turned to Carl, Lucilly falling away from her face, with only a small scratch left behind to show it had been there at all. He tilted his head, glancing at Rick and then back to Carl.

"This is your kid, right?" Negan laughed, swinging Lucille in Carl's direction to gesture and Anamika tensed at seeing the bat so close to Carl, "This is definitely your kid."

Rick, it seemed, didn't like the bat close to Carl anymore than she did, as he shouted out, his voice gruff and desperate, "Stop that!"

"Hey!" Negan barked, his brow furrowed in a scowl, before it smoothed out and Anamika knew he was enjoying this, the power he had over them, "Do not make me kill the little future serial killer. Don't make it easy on me."

Anamika glanced at Daryl again, his eyes burning into her and she tried to convey through her gaze alone how sorry she was, how much she missed him and loved him. Love. Yes, she truly did love Daryl, the gruff man had managed to carve out a space in her heart and had made himself comfortable in it, and she knew she would never get rid of him. Not that she would want to, oh no, she was quite happy with him reorganizing the inner sanctum of her heart to his own preference.

"I gotta pick somebody. Everybody's at the table waiting for me to order." Negan whistled as he strolled in front of her family and she glared at him. She noticed that he never turned his back on her entirely, always making sure he could see her out of the corner of his eye and this made the beast in her roar in smug satisfaction.

Negan seemed to be doing a good impression of his cocky swagger, his face split in his usual charming-not-charming grin as his eyes slid over each of them like oil, his gaze lingering on her for a bit before he moved on.

"I  _simply cannot_  decide," the demented man chuckled, rubbing his forehead as if he was plagued with a problem of magnificent proportions. He paused, then turned and the look on his face caused the hair at the nape of her neck to stand on end, "I got an idea."

His chuckle was deep and full of malice, same as his voice when he finally spoke, pointing the bat in Rick's face.

"Eenie…" The bat moved to the next person in the line up, Maggie shivering and sweating in pain.

"Meenie…"

"Miney…" Abraham's gaze was strong as he met Negan's gaze, not backing down.

"Mo…"

"Catch…"

"A tiger…" Anamika tensed when the bat came near Daryl, but breathed a silent sigh of relief as Negan moved on. She instantly felt guilty, as she didn't want anyone to die and felt like she betrayed the rest of her family by this feeling of relief.

"By…"

"His toe." Negan was now randomly pointing the bat at members of the group, making it impossible to figure out who he was going to end on.

"If…"

"He hollers…"

"Let him go." She could see tears in Sasha's eyes, in Michonne and Glenn's. She could see the despair etched on the faces of her group, the hopeless slump to their shoulders and the wide-eyed incomprehension in Rick's eyes as he watched Negan peruse his family.

"My mother…"

"Told me…" Anamika glared at the bat in Carl's face, her body burning, though she couldn't tell anymore if it was because of pain or because of anger and hate.

"To pick the very best one…"

"And you…"

Negan's glanced at her and in that moment, Anamika knew. This was all a play, a big melodramatic performance he was putting on for the group. He knew who he was going to kill, he just wanted everyone to sweat it out, to truly feel despair.

"Are…"

But he had made up his mind since the moment he saw her.

" _It."_

She met his cold eyes, her body strong even as the bat hung in front of her face, Negan's mouth for once not stretched in a smile. His face hard, she knew that there had been no chance of him letting her go forth from this place alive, no chance of him letting her grow strong again just to attack him once more. This was the inevitable outcome and she only hoped that with her death, the rest of her family could live.

She didn't dare chance a glance towards Daryl, not when Negan was this close and this aware of her. As much as she wanted to see the man - _her_  man- one last time, she'll have to do with her memory of him. That was probably better, she didn't want to die with the vision of his horrified eyes in her mind, preferring to remember his loving gaze, so gentle and warm as it was shy.

"Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy's other eye out and feed it to his father and then we'll start. You can breathe... you can blink... you can cry... Hell, you're all gonna be doing that."

Anamika breathed, her world slowing as Negan lifted his bat and her heart thudded in her ears. She would not fight back, because this was how she fought, how she protected her family. With her back straight and her head held up proudly, she would make this sacrifice and hope for her family's continued survival.

Lucille came down, the air rushing past the wood as Negan's face twisted in hate. Anamika saw movement from the corner of her eye, but she didn't have time to think about it, as the next moment, barbed wood connected with her head, her skull ringing and exploding in pain. Her body swayed, her eyes darkened and she fell forward.

_I love you Daryl..._

She was gone before she hit the ground and only blackness remained.

WD

Daryl swallowed, his entire body shivering as he gazed desperately at the figure that had just been uncovered by Simon. Red hair glowed in the light, tumbling loosely down her back, her head bowed. He felt his breath leave him, his heart stuck in his throat as he looked upon the one person he had never expected to see here.

_Anamika_

He paid no mind to the saviors or Negan's reaction, strange as they were, his eyes instead burning into her, into the smooth line of her nose, the strong slope to her jaw, the soft curve to her lips, the beauty of the fire in her blue eyes. He could see the slight sweat beading on her forehead, the way the small curls of her hair stuck to her skin and clothes, but she had never looked more beautiful to him than in that moment.

Or more tragic.

She wasn't supposed to be here. She was supposed to be safe in Alexandria, even if it was in a coma. She wasn't supposed to be kneeling in front of a madman, her life on the line when it looked like she might collapse at any moment. His eyes were drawn to the bandages wrapped around her neck and he flinched at the grit that covered them, the sweat stains that showed they needed to be changed.

His body shook as he held himself in place, wanting nothing more than to go to her, but he knew that would only paint a target on her back, if not from Negan, then from Dwight, the fucking asshole that he was.

"Well well well, who have we here… If it isn't my old friend A. Look lads, it's miss A, our resident rat! What, no hello?" Daryl's eyes narrowed as confusion filled his mind. He should have known it from the reaction when she was unveiled, but apparently, Negan  _knew_  her. How did this madman know her? Knowing Anamika, it could be for no good reason and that made his fear for her just that much stronger. She already had a target on her back.

He bristled as he saw the bat pushed against her cheek, ready to jump up and show Negan hell for touching  _his_  girl, but Carl beat him to it.

"Get that thing away from her,  _now_." Daryl breathed a sigh of relief as Negan dropped the bat from Anamika's face, but growled when the man turned to Carl instead. He saw the way Mika tensed and knew she wouldn't suffer any injury to Carl.

"This is your kid, right?" Negan laughed as he taunted Rick, and Daryl wanted to wring his neck at the sound, at the way he swung that bat around like a toy, "This is definitely your kid."

Daryl flinched slightly when he saw the desperation on Rick's face, the red rimmed eyes and sweat soaked appearance, his voice loud and tortured as he yelled, "Stop that!"

"Hey!" Negan barked, and Daryl glared at him, hating the man for the games he was playing, "Do not make me kill the little future serial killer. Don't make it easy on me."

Daryl turned back to Anamika, trying to burn the image of her into his mind, still not able to believe she was here and that it wasn't just a hallucination. Her eyes met his and he could see the apology in them, the regret, but also the strength and fire that made up who she was in her core. That fire that he cared for, that he wanted to cradle and bury deep inside him so no one can take it away from him.

"I gotta pick somebody. Everybody's at the table waiting for me to order." Negan whistled, but Daryl, for one, paid him no mind, his eyes still caressing Anamika as his own body shivered from the wound on his shoulder.

He saw that Negan seemed to be strangely aware of Anamika, his gaze resting in glances on her far too often and Daryl bristled, his face twisting into a scowl while his mouth snarled silently.

"I  _simply cannot_  decide," the man chuckled, rubbing his forehead like a douche before he turned with that smile on his face again, "I got an idea."

"Eenie... meenie... miney... mo…catch... a tiger..." Daryl glared at Negan as the man pointed the bat to his face, smiling before he moved on. He blocked out the man's stupid rhyme, focusing on Anamika. He knew one of his family was going to die tonight, but he didn't want to accept it. Didn't want to admit that he couldn't protect them. This was all his fault, because he came out here on a stupid revenge mission. He didn't know why Rick and the others were out here, but by the look of Maggie, he assumed she needed a doctor.

Another thing that is his fault, if he never took Denise out, if she wasn't killed on his watch, Maggie wouldn't need to go to Hilltop for a doctor. His family would still be safe at Alexandria, where they had the advantage if Negan showed up. Instead, he had ruined everything and now one of them was going to die.

His unease grew as he saw the glances Negan couldn't seem to stop himself from giving Anamika and a terrible truth started to fester in Daryl's heart. He felt sick and light-headed and his shaking got worse as adrenaline rushed through his battered body.

"You...are... _it._ " His heart stopped. His breath stopped. His thoughts stopped. It seemed like his entire existence  _stopped_.

_The bat still hung in Anamika's face._

He saw the acceptance in her gaze, the strength that was draped over her shoulders like a cloak, but he had never felt weaker.

_Not her_

"Anybody moves, anybody says anything, cut the boy's other eye out and feed it to his father and then we'll start."

_Not her_

"You can breathe…"

_Not her_

"You can blink…"

_Not her_

"You can cry."

_Not her_

"Hell, you're all gonna be doing that."

_NOT HER!_

Daryl was barely aware that Abraham had jumped forward the same time as he did. All he knew was that he had to stop that bat, that bat that was aiming for  _her_  head, that bat that would take Anamika away from him. He grunted as Dwight dived him to the ground, the sharp point of his old crossbow pressed to the back of his head as hands held him down, but he didn't care.

All he cared about was the crack as the bat just met Anamika's skull, followed almost simultaneously by a grunt as Abraham tackled Negan to the ground, Lucille flying through the air, even as a choked gasp left Anamika's lips. Her eyes glazed over and Daryl felt like his own life left him as she slowly slumped forward, a dull thud reaching his ears as she fell to the ground. Blood oozed from her head, coating her hair, the only thing he could see, her face hidden underneath her blood matted curls.

He wasn't aware of anything else but her. He saw the tremors in her body, the ripples that travelled through her in twitches and jerks, the spasms in her fingers… and then she fell still, like a puppet who had their strings cut.

In the corner of his mind, he was aware of the saviors pulling him to his knees, of them rushing Abraham, pulling him off Negan and forcing him to his knees, of Negan grabbing Lucille and standing up, wiping his mouth as he grinned, a strange glint in his eyes.

"All right, listen! Don't any of you do that again. I will shut that shit down, no exceptions. First one's free. It's an emotional moment, I get it. Saying goodbye to little miss A here can't be easy," He walked to Rick, the man's wide, disbelieving eyes fixed on Anamika, "Sucks, don't it? The moment you realize you don't know shit."

Daryl was gasping, his cheeks wet and cold in the night air, his eyes searching for any sign of life in her as his body trembled where he sat.

But she was still.

"Arat. Check her, see if Lucille did the job there, or if she needs another go."

Daryl saw the woman, one of the only woman he could see among the men, inch forward, her entire body coiled tightly like a spring and her face set in a grimace. She slowly kneeled besides  _her_ and Daryl jerked forward in vain, as hands on his shoulders kept him in place, to stop her from touching  _his_  girl with her filthy hands.

The female savior hesitantly reached out, her fingers pressing lightly to Anamika's wrist, as her neck was still wrapped in bandages, before retracting her fingers, standing up and quickly moving away.

"She's dead, no heartbeat." Negan smiled, an ugly smile that set Daryl's blood aflame just as Arat's words had doused any hope in him.

"Huh. Well, she did look mighty shitty, practically on death's door. She was no match for Lucille," The man turned his gaze to the group, smiling as he looked at them, before turning back to Anamika's body, "But I'm just getting started. Need to pretty her up for the photo right?"

And he raised his bat again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ! IMPORTANT!
> 
> Ok, so before I get rants and flames and people swearing to stop reading this story, I'm going to ask one thing. PLEASE WAIT UNTIL YOU'VE READ THE NEXT CHAPTER. If, after reading the next chapter, you still don't want to continue with the story or criticize something, feel welcome to it. But the next chapter is vitally important, which is why I made sure it was fully typed before I posted this chapter. Also, you get to see a small Carl PoV;) Let me know how much you hate me for this chapter!


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this chapter was supposed to be up last night, but my wifi decided to pull a rebellion and killed itself and I just now managed to revive it, stupid thing. So here you go, hope this is what you've been waiting for. Beware, it is a difficult and angst-filled chapter, as nothing can be sunshine and rainbows in the current situation and it's, well, Negan.
> 
> Thanks for the kudos and to Denise58, Tay_Reads2797, Noexceptions, JCJ58, SevenRuby, zozozo and Em for reviewing and helping me reach 101 comments!! (pretty sure my replies count towards those comments, but eh, who cares.) You guys are awesome!
> 
> Enjoy!

As Negan raised his bat again, intent on bashing Anamika's skull to a pulp just for shits and giggles, something in Daryl snapped. He would not allow this monster to defile Anamika's body like that. She was already dead, he would not let the bastard make her unrecognizable as well. Before Negan could bring the bat down on her skull, Daryl punched the savior holding him, leaping forward, crossing the distance a a few fast strides and punching Negan, his mouth twisted in a snarl as he yelled, "You fucking bastard!"

Again, he was wrestled to the ground, grunting as he struggled to throw off the men who held him down, vaguely aware of Rick yelling his name, but not caring. This bastard was not going to place another finger on Anamika, not on his watch.

"No!" Negan yelled, his face twisted in anger that disappeared as quickly as it appeared, a smile once again on his face as he chuckled, "Oh, no. That? Oh, my! That... is a no-no. The whole thing -  _not one bit_  of that shit flies here.

Daryl grunted, his teary eyes trained on Anamika, grunts and whimpers falling from his lips. He didn't even pay attention to Dwight aiming his crossbow at his head, asking Negan if he should kill Daryl. At this point, Daryl welcomed him to it, if it would mean not having to look upon the corpse of the woman he was certain he loved.

And love her he did.

"No... No, you don't kill them... not until you try a little." Daryl snarled as Negan grabbed his hair, his glare burning into the man and then Dwight and some other saviors pulled him up, dragging him back in line. His shoulder kept sending lances of pain through his body, but he couldn't care about that, not when her body was lying cold a few feet away. Negan was talking again and Daryl knew he should pay better attention, but  _she_ called to him and he couldn't take his eyes off her, still in a state of disbelief.

"And anyway... that's not how it works. Now, I already  _told_ you people - first one's free, then - what'd I say? I said I would  _shut that shit down_! No exceptions. Now, I don't know what kind of  _lying assholes_  you've been dealing with... but I'm a man of my word. First impressions are important. I need you to know me.

"So... back to it." Daryl's eyes shifted to Negan, just in time to see the man swing around and slam the bat into Abraham's skull, the large man grunting as he fell forward. Sasha made a strangled sound, her eyes wide as tears wetted her cheeks. Daryl felt a coldness surround him, the innermost part of him feeling dead as the redhead struggled to get back on his knees.

"Oh! Look at that! Taking it  _like a champ_!" Negan laughed.

"Suck...my...nuts…"

The bat came down on Abraham's head again, the military man falling forward to the ground as Sasha cried out. Daryl stared on in disbelief as the bat came down again and again on Abraham, the man's skull breaking and blood and brain matter spilling out over the ground, only to be crushed by the bat into a bloody mess.

"Did you hear that?" Negan chuckled, glancing at his saviors, "He said, "Suck my nuts."" Negan exhaled loudly, laughing, before he brought Lucille down on the mess that was Abraham's head again.

This was wrong. Abraham wasn't supposed to die, Daryl was. He was the one who had jumped up, who had punched Negan, he was the one who should die. Instead, the redhead had paid the price. The cold encompassed Daryl's entire body, the guilt weighing on his mind as he watched Sasha flinch with every blow and Rosita stare at the ground in front of her with an unfocused, horrified gaze.

This was his fault.

Negan looked up, looking at their tearful faces, their shaking bodies and smiled in mock concern, his voice soft, "Oh. Oh, hell. I can see this is hard on you guys. I am sorry. I truly am... But I did say it. No exceptions!" Daryl flinched, and he could hear members of his group crying as Negan rendered Abraham unrecognizable.

"You bunch of pussies. I'm just getting started." Negan laughed as he brought Lucille down again and again, before swinging the bloodied bat up, and Daryl flinched as blood sprayed in an arc.

"Lucille is thirsty. She is a vampire bat." Daryl bowed his head, filtering out the world and the horrible events that was happening right in front of him, his eyes swollen and red-rimmed as he caught sight of Anamika's lifeless body again.

A shiver travelled through his body and he could feel the fight almost drain out of him. He had gotten Denise killed. He had gotten Anamika killed. He had gotten Abraham killed. Why was he still alive, tortured with this knowledge? He closed his eyes as tears finally escaped them and a broken sob left his body as he slumped in on himself.

_Anamika_

WD

Rick couldn't process what was happening. Anna's body lied on the ground to his left, while Abraham's mutilated corpse was to his right, Abraham's blood still warm on his face from when Negan had swung Lucille around. He was aware of the man himself coming towards him, but his eyes were on Abraham and then turned to Anna, her bloodied appearance driving a spear in his heart.

His eyes dropped to the ground, the pain festering in his heart lashing out at his mind, causing chaos to reign supreme as he tried to get his thoughts straight. But all he could see was Anamika's still body, her hair spread in a shower of red, much like Abraham's broken skull…

"What? Was the joke that bad?" Rick's thoughts halted, an anger filling his body as he processed Negan's words.

_Joke…_

This wasn't a  _fucking_ joke! Two of his family members lied  _dead_  before him and this  _Negan_  thought he could laugh about it?

"I'm gonna kill you." He almost didn't recognise his own voice, hoarse and soft and feeble, his mind still preoccupied with trying to understand how this all happened.

Negan kneeled in front of him, the bloody bat in front of his face, but Rick couldn't focus on that.

"What? I didn't quite catch that, you gonna have to speak up." Negan was mocking him, was playing games still, but for Rick, this was anything but a game. He almost snarled, but his eye caught Anamika's body again and he bowed his head, shutting his eyes tightly as he breathed in. He remembered how strong she was, her determination as she laid on a bed they had all thought would be her deathbed. How she was gravely injured and should have died, but instead pushed through and made him a promise. That promise now echoed in his mind, giving him the strength to straighten and look Negan in the eyes.

' _Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but we will get those arseholes and show them to not mess with us.'_

"Not today," Rick started, his voice stronger as he reaffirmed her promise, "Not tomorrow… But I'm gonna kill you."

Negan met his gaze, his face set in perpetual amusement, but Rick could see he was  _listening_.

"Jesus… Simon. What'd he have, a knife?"

"Uh, he had a hatchet."

"Uuh hatchet?" Negan's amusement seemed to grow as he glanced at Simon.

"An axe."

Negan turned back to Rick, smiling. "Simon's my right-hand man. Having one of those is important. I mean, what do you have without them? A  _whole lot of work._ You have one? Maybe one of these  _fine people_  still breathing? Oh… Or did I… I don't know about Red, but Miss A was  _definitely_  right-hand man - _sorry, woman_ \- material."

Rick glared at the man, his mind remembering all the effort Anna had made to get Alexandria safe and secure, the trust she inspired and the strength she projected. He remembered the gruff, but well-meaning words Abraham so readily gave out, the raw power the man exuded and his efforts in helping to rebuild and expand Alexandria. His gaze was hard and unforgiving, her promise - _his promise now_ \- filling his mind.

_Not today, not tomorrow…_

Despite the amused expression still on Negan's face, Rick could see the distinctly unamused glint in the man's eyes as he gazed into Rick's own determined ones, sighing before he spoke, "Sure. Yeah. Gimme his axe."

Negan placed Rick's axe in his belt as he stood up and Rick blinked, still trying to get his heart back in working order, but then he felt Negan grab the back of his jacket, dragging him forward as he walked towards the RV.

"Be right back, maybe Rick will be with me. If not, well, we can just turn these people inside out won't we. I mean… the ones that are left." Rick struggled, not able to properly get his feet under him as he was dragged along, Negan being surprisingly strong as he threw Rick into the RV. As Rick fell into the darkness, Negan closing the door behind him, he made himself a promise.

No matter what happens, he will remember Anna's words and the strength in them.

WD

Carl breathed deeply, trying to process what just happened, how he had almost lost his arm and how Negan would have forced his father to do it. He breathed deeply, still lying on the ground, eyes staring straight ahead as Negan talked in that smug, irritating tone.

"Oh, and as a little gift for taking Daryl off your hands, I'll leave little Miss A all pretty for you guys, just so that you can see the  _blame_  in her pretty blue eyes. After all, I'm  _mighty sure_  she would still be alive if she didn't get involved with you people. Gonna leave you a truck, keep it. Use it to cart all the crap you gonna find me. We'll be back for our first offer in one week, until then, tata."

Carl lifted himself from the ground, glaring at Negan and the rest of the saviors as they left, hate filling him like he had never felt before, not even with the Governor or Terminus or the police officers in Atlanta. Everyone was silent as they waited for the saviors to leave, still in shock about the events of the last three hours. He himself couldn't believe everything that had changed in such a short amount of time. He remembered Negan killing A-Anna and Abraham, taking his dad away in the RV, threatening his dad to cut off Carl's arm or have the entire group killed.

He had never seen his dad break down like that, not even when his mom died had his dad looked as broken as he had in that moment. The sheer and utter panic and despair on his dad's face cracked something in him and he wished Anna was here, because he knew she could give them strength. He remembered the way Daryl fought as the saviors wrestled him into the van, the tears on the usually strong man's face as he cried out Anna's name, further shattering Carl's spirit as he had to bite his own lip to stop himself from crying. He could only stare at the ground, remembering everything that had happened and wishing it didn't.

It was when the last of the saviors left, that he saw Glenn rushing to Maggie, holding her shaking form as he panicked, trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Sasha was kneeling silently, but he could see how she blinked tears away, how she tried not to look at Abraham's mutilated body. Rosita just looked shell-shocked, same as most everyone else there. Aaron was hovering around Maggie and Eugene was crying, hiding his face in his hands as his body shook. Michonne's eyes were wide and tortured and Carl knew exactly how she felt.

"Rick," Glenn called out, "Maggie needs help." Carl looked up at his father, seeing him come back to life slowly, as he nodded and heaved himself up, his movements hesitant and unsteady.

"We need to get her to the Hilltop."

"No, you need to go get ready." Maggie suddenly spoke up, her gaze on Anamika.

"For what?" His dad asked softly, his gaze on Maggie, her own eyes still caught on Anamika.

"To fight them."

"They have Daryl, they have an army. We would die, all of us."

"Go home, take everybody with you, I can get there with Glenn. You need to go to Alexandria. Anna died for us, Abraham died for us, we need to fight for them." Carl looked up, his eyes landing on Anamika. He slowly stood up, walking over to her. He kneeled besides her body, fighting back tears as his dad still tried to reason with Maggie, Glenn and Sasha getting involved as well.

He couldn't believe it's only been two hours since one of his closest friends died, since one of the people he looked up to was taken from them forever. It felt like much longer. He still remembered the last time he properly spoke to her, without her being unconscious or distracted by Maggie's situation. It was before she left on her run the day his dad and the rest went to Hilltop.

" _Do you think they'll have food?"_

_Anamika looked up at him from where she was playing with Judith, his little sister giggling and trying to squirm away from Anamika's tickling fingers. She had a smile on her face, but when she saw his own pensive expression, her smile slowly died down to a thoughtful purse of her lips._

" _I don't know, they might. That Jesus guy certainly didn't look starved and I'm sure he wouldn't mention our food stores and offer trade if they didn't have any themselves."_

" _But what if he was only trying to trick us? What if my dad's walking into a trap?" Anamika smiled softly, poking Judith's side as she answered._

" _Well, that's why your dad made sure he took the fighters with him. They'll be well able to handle anything and you know your dad, he's not going to trust anything they say at face value. Trust in him, your dad is a good leader with even better instincts."_

_Carl nodded, mulling her words over in his head, smiling as Judith waved at him._

" _Yeah. It's just… this needs to work out. I want a place where Judith can grown up safely, without having to wonder if there'll be food the next day."_

" _I know Carl," Anna had come to him, placing a hand on his shoulder as she smiled, her eyes containing a warmth that made Carl feel like everything would be alright, "I'll make sure she gets to grow up in that kind of world. Making allies only helps us get closer to that goal. What we can't do alone, we can do together, even if it's just our family against the world. Don't worry alright?"_

_He nodded, his heart feeling lighter as he picked his sister up, pulling a silly face to make her laugh and grinning at Anna when the little girl threw her entire body into the motion. Anna chuckled, ruffling his hair and brushing Judith's hair out of her face, the back of her finger stroking Judith's soft cheek._

" _I'm going to go out for a few hours, to get something that should help us last a bit longer in the food department. I'll take a long distance radio, but you got everything under control here boss?"_

_Carl grinned, nodding his head as he watched Anna walk out the door, waving after her as she walked down the street._

_Yes, he was sure that even if Anna didn't manage to make their goal of a safe community come true, their family together would._

Carl blinked, his eyes focusing on the red curtain of Anna's curly hair, spread like a cloak across her face. Reaching out shakily, he gently brushed the hair that had fallen over her face away, tucking the strands behind her ear and brushing the back of his fingers over her cheek.

It was then he saw it.

A small strand of hair that was still draped across her face fluttered, as if it was caught in some unseen breeze. He paused, his eyes widening as he bent forward, hope clogging up his throat. His fingers moved down to her lips and Carl froze, unable to believe what he was feeling, tears finally escaping his eyes.

Soft puffs of air escaped Anamika's lips, barely there and when he looked closely now, he could see the ever so subtle lift of her torso as she breathed.

_She was still alive._

But she wouldn't be for long if they couldn't get her help. Afraid to move her, his head shot up as his hands hovered over her, uncertain what to do as he searched out his dad.

"Dad! DAD!" His dad spun around, his eyes panicked as he searched for the threat.

"Dad, she's breathing!" There was a pause, a quiet moment as his words hung in the air, before amost everyone spoke at once, his dad rushing forward.

"Wha-"

"But she wa-"

"How i-"

"Not possibl-"

"Are you sur-"

"LOOK!" Rick knelt down and Carl shifted to the side to make space as his father carefully bent down, bringing his face close to Anamika's. Then he leaned back and placed his fingers on her wrist, his brow furrowed in concentration. Everyone fell quiet, their eyes trained on Rick, waiting.

"It's true," Rick's voice was soft and awed, his eyes wide as he looked up, "It;s faint, but she's got a pulse."

"But that savior said she didn't." Aaron said, his expression hopeful but confused.

"She might just not have felt it, it's really faint. We need to get her to Hilltop, right now!" Carl nodded and, seeing that Glenn hefted Maggie into his arms, dragged the makeshift stretcher they had used for her closer to Anamika. His dad and Aaron, with him and Michonne helping them, carefully shifted her onto it and Carl shrugged off his flannel, pressing it gently to her head where he thought the bleeding was, hoping it helped but too afraid to push harder, as he didn't want to damage her skull more.

Rosita, Sasha and Eugene were lifting Abraham's body, whose head, or what was left of it, had been wrapped in the cloth Anamika used to disguise herself. They carried him onto the truck the saviors had left behind, lying him down in the truck bed. Carl helped his dad and Aaron carry Anna over to the RV, lying her down on the floor and Maggie lying down on the bed, with Glenn next to her.

Sitting by Anna's side, Carl gently stroked her hair as his dad got in the driver's seat, starting the RV, with the truck behind them. He looked down at Anamika's pale face and the barely there shallow breaths.

"Don't worry Anna. You'll be alright. I'll make sure you're alright."

_You'll be alright..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo, what did you think? Explanations and so forth will come next chapter, but at least you guys know for certain she's not dead:) And she's not superhuman either, which is why she didn't jump up and bash Negan's skull in, despite all of us wanting that, myself included.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, this chapter was supposed to be up much earlier, but I've been so anxious about these California wildfires and the fact that my area is completely blanketed in smoke etc, that I've just not been in the mood to write. However, I did it and the new chapter is here, though it's more a fillery chapter necessary to get some information out there. I wrote it and posted it, so sorry if there's mistakes.  
> Thanks for all the kudos and to JCJ58, zozozo, Denise58 and Siani6661 for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

For Carl, it felt like hours passed before they arrived at Hilltop, though he knew it had only been ten minutes at most. Now that there was no one blocking their way, it was ridiculously easy to reach the other community, which only made him resent Negan more. They could have already gotten Maggie and Anna help by now. Instead, an anxious Glenn was holding Maggie's hand and a still Anna lied next to him, every minute chipping away at her life. He kept his fingers pressed against her wrist, her sluggish heartbeat worrying, but also a comfort, a sign that she was still hanging on.

Hearing his father call out to them, he looked up, relief and hope filling him at the sight of Hilltop's gates and wooden walls. In contrast to the car ride there, everything seemed to speed up once they were inside the community. His father and Aaron carried Anna out on her stretcher, Glenn carrying Maggie as they rushed to the trailer where the infirmary was set up.

The doctor, whose name Carl didn't know, met them at the door and immediately showed them in. Michonne was talking to Jesus, her face serious, and soon Carl could see Sasha, Rosita and Eugene follow another Hilltop resident, taking the shovels handed to them and he knew they were going to go dig Abraham's grave. Turning away, his heart heavy, he made his way to the infirmary trailer, walking up the steps, but not entering. The inside was crowded, with the doctor shouting orders as he tried to attend to both Maggie and Anna. Glenn was busy lying Maggie down on a bed, Aaron wheeling a machine closer to her upon the direction of the doctor.

Anna was already lying on another bed, the doctor bent over her as he carefully cut a patch of her hair away with scissors. Blood matted clumps of hair fell to the floor and Carl felt bile push up in his throat. Of all the horrific things he's seen, the sight of Anna looking so vulnerable and lifeless was one of the worst. He was actually glad when his dad glanced up and, seeing him, stated that they need Rosita, as she's the only one who might be able to help Dr. Carson. Carl nodded his head, glad he at least knew the name of the doctor now and jumped down the trailer steps, running in the direction he saw Rosita leave in with Sasha and Eugene. He found them in an out of the way patch of dirt, digging silently, their faces grim.

"Rosita! My dad needs you!" She looked up, her face scowling and Carl knew she was in pain over losing Abraham, but as harsh as it might sound, she couldn't do anything for him right now. She could still do something for Anna and Maggie.

"Rosita, you're the only one who has a bit of medical knowledge. The doctor needs you, he can't help both Anna and Maggie at the same time." Rosita sighed, her hand clenching on the shovel, but finally nodded.

"Yes, alright." Nodding towards a silent Sasha and Eugene, she threw her shovel down and followed Carl back. This time, when she went into the infirmary, Carl didn't follow her, instead sitting down on a log near the trailer, his mind miles away as he hoped and prayed for Maggie and Anna to be alright. Glenn and Aaron soon joined him, having been kicked out of the trailer, with his dad going off to meet Jesus.

Carl knew it was dangerous for them to stay here long, as Negan and them didn't seem to be aware that they knew about Hilltop; or at least, they weren't entirely sure they had continued relations with the other community. His dad would want to leave soon, especially since Judith was back in Alexandria, but Carl at least wanted to make sure his family would be alright.

It was hours later when Dr. Carson finally came out, wiping his bloodied hands with a cloth. Carl spied Rosita still inside, gently wiping down Anna's face before the door closed behind the doctor. At the sight of the doctor, his entire family drew near, their expressions worried as they waited for him to speak. He met his dad's eyes, before turning back to the man before them.

"Well, for now, they're both stable, but I'll need to keep an eye on them. Maggie suffered from Abruptio Placentae, it's when the placenta separates from the uterus and is unusual this early in the pregnancy. Luckily, the separation was small, so the baby's heart rate is normal, meaning the baby is fine. I will need to keep her here, just in case something further happens."

"Why did this happen? Can we prevent it from worsening?" Glenn interrupted, his brow furrowed worriedly.

"Well, it can happen due to trauma and she did have some bruises on her abdomen, but if she takes it easy, it shouldn't become worse, for now, we have it under control, so I wouldn't worry too much. The other woman is a different story."

Carl's heart was in his throat and he swallowed, having to remind himself that Anna was still here, she was still fighting for her life, so he couldn't give up on her.

"How is Anna? We thought she was dead, she was hit on the head quite hard." Aaron spoke up, his hands twisting together as he waited for an answer. Dr. Carson sighed, rubbing his brow and Carl could see the exhaustion in every line of his body and suddenly felt grateful for the hours of work the man just did to save his precious people.

"Anna suffered from more than just head trauma. I asked Rosita what happened, as any detail, no matter how small, could mean the difference between life and death. Anna was already suffering from a mild infection of her neck wound and was running a slight fever. Luckily, the infection was in the early stages, meaning with some antibiotics and a sterile environment, she should make a full recovery. However, the blunt force trauma to her skull complicates matters. From what Rosita told me, Anna should be dead, but as you know, she survived the hit. When I examined the point of impact, I saw some scrape marks, as if something was dragged along her skull.

"According to Rosita, Negan was interrupted by Abraham attacking him when he hit her correct? Now, we can't know for sure, but I'm hypothesizing that he managed to jerk Negan away just as the bat made contact with Anna's skull, meaning that he lost some momentum and it ended up being a hard glancing blow rather than a fully connecting blow. Add to that, Anna would have already been weak from the infection, probably dizzy or shaky, so she wouldn't have resisted at all. In this case, it would have helped her, as she would have went along with the momentum of the blow, further minimizing the damage, instead of trying to push back against it."

Carl was silent, his mind working over what the doctor said. He thought back to the moment Abraham had tackled Negan and examined the memory, his brow scrunching in thought. Now that he thought of it, he remember the bat making contact with Anna's head, but not for long before it had been knocked out of Negan's hands.

"But… The savior that checked her said she was dead, that she couldn't feel a pulse?" Aaron seemed like the official spokesperson of the group, as everyone was quiet, preferring to listen to what the doctor had to say. The man shrugged, before replying.

"She might have lied, or she could just have missed her pulse. Anna's heartbeat was very slow when she was brought in, so I wouldn't be surprised if someone missed it in a highly stressful situation. Could also be that she just didn't know how to check her pulse properly. Honestly, there's many reasons, but it doesn't really matter. The only thing that does is that Negan now thinks that Anna's dead, which can only aid her recovery, as long as she isn't discovered. The problem with that is that I can't say for sure how long her recovery is going to be."

The man sighed, his eyes sad and his tone heavy and Carl knew he wasn't going to like what he had to say next.

"Without the equipment to do a CT scan or an MRI and with Anna fading in and out of consciousness, it's difficult to figure out the extent of her injury. Her pupils are dilated, her neck stiff, she vomited, indicating nausea and she's breathing irregularly, which might be symptoms of cerebral edema, meaning swelling of the brain. However, the fact that she did regain consciousness briefly a few times is a good sign. Without the proper equipment, I am limited in what I can do for her, as I can worsen the situation if I give her the wrong medication or just even the wrong dose.

"Add to it that my specialty isn't the brain, I am limited to oxygen therapy with a respirator, to make sure her blood gets enough oxygen and regular IV fluids to help her recover. I might try lowering her body temperature as well, as it can help reduce brain swelling, but using hypothermia is a treatment has it's own difficulties, so I'll have to monitor her closely. Honestly, the most we can do is wait and hope for the best. If she regains consciousness, I can hopefully do a neurological exam and maybe get a better idea of how bad the damage is, but the next 48 hours is critical."

Carl clenched his fists, feeling helpless and angry about the situation Anna was in. The worst is that he knew they wouldn't be able to stay here, as they had to get back to Alexandria, not to mention start scavenging for Negan and so wouldn't be able to keep an eye on Anna themselves. His dad's eyes were closed as he pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyelids red and his hair sticking to his skin. He sighed, before lowering his hand.

"Alright, thank you doctor. We need to get back to Alexandria, but if there's is anything you need, let us know. Anna and Maggie are family and we appreciate you helping them."

"Of course, you can trust me to do my best to keep them in the best health possible."

As if that was a hidden signal, his dad nodded and walked away, Michonne and the rest following him. As the doctor went back into the trailer, Glenn on his heels, Rosita came out, making her way over to the RV as they prepared to leave. Carl wished he could stay, but knew he would only place them in more danger and besides, he missed Judith. It was decided that Sasha and Glenn would stay behind and though Carl was upset at his family being split further, he understood their reasons for staying.

Throwing one last look at the trailer Anna was in, fighting for her life, he squared his shoulders and climbed into the RV.

This would not be how it will end.

He was sure of it.

WD

Rick walked out of the trailer, Dr. Carson's words ringing in his ears as he made his way towards where Michonne was talking to Jesus. Glancing back, he could see Carl waiting next to the infirmary, Glenn and Aaron joining him as they waited for any word on the two women inside. His jaw clenched and his eyes burned as he thought about two of his family members on death's door, another one taken prisoner and another one brutally murdered.

He knew he should be angry  _and_   _he was_ , but he wasn't filled with that vengeful hatred that he had felt several times before. Instead, he just felt cold and terrified, the feeling of his axe in his hand and Carl's soft arm beneath his other hand still fresh in his mind. Of the knowledge that if he didn't cut off his own son's arm, he would cause the death of his entire family, including his son. The terror he had felt in that moment was indescribable and still coursed through his body even now. Fine tremors wracked his frame and he had to clench his hands into fists to stop their shaking.

"Rick." He looked up at Michonne's voice, her eyes searching but he felt too drained to try and reassure her, too tired and frightened to be the strong leader and lover she needed.

"Jesus, Dr. Carson is saying that Maggie and Anna will need to stay here if they manage to pull through the next few hours. He's working on them now, but even if they turn out to be fine, which is a slim chance, he'll need to keep an eye on them after."

"Of course Rick. I'm sorry this happened to you and my condolences about Abraham. I should be able to convince Gregory to keep Maggie here, but Anna…"

Rick looked up sharply, his body heavy but tensing at the hesitance in Jesus's tone, "What about Anna?"

Jesus's eyes flicked away, before he turned back to Rick, squaring his shoulders.

"Look, Anna is dangerous. I don't know how well you guys know her or how long you've known her, but she's lethal and I'm not sure if we can trust her. I can't keep someone inside my community if I can't trust them or know they're a good person."

"She's family, I trust her and she is a good person. Why do you think she's dangerous, you don't even know her, she would've mentioned knowing you when you guys first met," Rick paused, his eyes narrowing at Jesus's uncomfortable expression, "What aren't you telling me Jesus?"

"Ok Rick, I want to trust you, but I've seen… I've seen her kill. She's lethal, brutal and merciless. I can't let someone like that into my community."

Rick swallowed, "When did you see her kill?"

"Some months ago. I was out scavenging and it started to become late. Instead of trying to get back to Hilltop before dark, I holed up in this town…"

Jesus shifted from foot to foot, his gaze serious as he glanced between Rick and Michonne, inhaling deeply before exhaling harshly.

"It started with the sound of explosions. When I went to check it out, to see if anyone needed help or something, I saw this building catch fire. At first, I didn't think much of it, figuring it was a regular survivor in a sticky situation and needing help, but then...Look Rick, I arrived near the end of it all, but what I did see was her mowing down people left and right. I saw her kill five people and loot the building before she disappeared. When I went back the next day and looked through the ruins of the burnt out building… Rick, there was around twenty people inside there and not one of them died of the fire from what I could see. Some were burnt beyond recognition, but some had bullet holes riddled in them or were even in pieces."

Rick swallowed, his brow furrowed. That sounded like the attack on the savior outpost Anna described on the way here, where she apparently killed all the saviors and burned down the building. He said as much to Jesus, whose eyes widened, before his face became pensive.

"That...actually makes sense. I remember thinking how odd it was that she was so focused on one guy, who ended up getting away in the end. That had to be Negan, I've never seen him before, just always his saviors." Michonne's eyes were also wide, as she had not heard any of this before, but she seemed to put it aside for the moment and focused on what it meant for Anna.

"So can Anna stay? I'm sure Negan must have done something to her for her to attack his outpost, she's a good person." The katana-wielding woman said, her voice low and Rick nodded, turning to Jesus. The man sighed, rubbing his brow before looking back up.

"Ok yeah, I'll talk to Gregory. It's not going to be easy, he doesn't like it when things aren't in his control, but I'll figure it out."

Rick reached out and clapped a hand on Jesus' shoulder, a small weight lifted from his shoulders. However, every hour they waited for news on Maggie and Anna and then the news they actually got, brought that weight right back. Rick felt tied down, felt as if chains attached to manacles was dragging behind him and he could feel all the eyes glued to him.

He had to be the strong one, the one to make the decisions and protect his family.

Problem was, he wasn't sure if he could anymore.

WD

It was dark and cold.

Not just the cell he was thrown in, but in his mind as well. His eyes were unfocused and his breathing shallow, goosebumps traveling along his bare skin, but he didn't care. Images played out behind his eyes, but even those were faded, the color and warmth being leached out of his memories, the sound muted. It felt like all the life was being drained out of his memories and from his body in turn. He didn't feel his body shivering, he was hardly aware of the music blasting out side his small cell and he barely tasted the dog food sandwich Dwight handed him. Even the anger he felt at the sight of Dwight in his vest was more an echo than a current emotion.

After all, what did any of this matter when she was dead?

He didn't know how many days passed, yet he didn't care, not even when Dwight threw filthy overalls at him and took him to the doctor and outside, jabbering away like a good minion. It felt like the world had stopped and that was right, why would his world go on spinning when she was so brutally yanked out of it? Even when a different savior brought him his food and he realised the door was left open, that he could actually open it and look out into the hallway, maybe even escape, he didn't care. His body had no energy and instead he sank down against the wall, next to the open door, his head leaned back as he gazed unseeingly at the wall. That was how Negan found him, sitting silently next to an open cell door. He ignored the whistling, smirking man and his minions who gathered outside his cell door, not even twitching when the man started to chuckle.

"Well gents, would you look at that. It seems Daryl here decided to be a good dog." Daryl glanced up briefly, but looked away again, not interested in the games Negan wanted to play. The man crouched down beside him, staring at him for a moment.

"Why didn't you try to escape huh? The door was open." Daryl stayed quiet, glaring at Negan, but not reacting further.

"Did you start to like it here?" Daryl couldn't help the scoff that slipped past his lips, and Negan seemed to grin wider at that.

"No? Then why? Oh wait, you seemed mighty concerned about Miss A back there. You two were…?" Daryl's glare intensified, but it didn't seem to bother the man next to him, in fact, it just seemed to amuse him.

"Wow. I can see that, power couple of the apocalypse. Or it was before I, you know, bashed her brains in."

It wasn't a conscious decision, it was an instinctual reaction. One moment he was sitting on the floor, not caring about anything, the next moment he had dived at Negan, his hands around the man's neck as he squeezed, pure rage flowing through his veins. It wasn't more than a few seconds before he was pulled off by the saviors who had accompanied Negan, but he fought like an animal, grunted curses spewing from his lips as he struggled against them. His head snapped up as that bloody bat was shoved under his nose, before it pressed against his cheek.

"Oh ho ho, someone's a bit sensitive! But I understand, Miss A was an amazing woman, but also an incredibly irritating  _pain in my ass_!" Daryl snarled at Negan's heated words, but the man calmed down quickly, that smirk sliding back on his face like oil on water.

"But what does it matter now. You're not going to be a pain in my ass right? No, things will be better for you. You see, this was a test, and one you passed with flying colors. See that guy? Who are you?"

"Negan." Daryl watched as Negan pointed to several men, asking the same question and receiving the same answer every time.

" _Who are you?"_

" _Negan."_

"See," Negan stated, bringing his smiling face closer to Daryl's," I am  _everywhere_. And things can get  _so much_  cooler for you. Now, Dwight gave you some options and it is time to  _decide_. One, you end up on the spike and work for me as a  _dead_  man. Two, you get out of your cell, you work for points, but you're going to  _wish_  you were dead. Or three, you  _work for me,_  you get yourself a brand new pair of shoes and you  _live_  like a  _king_! Choice seems pretty obvious and I think you know it, seeing as you stayed in your cell like a good dog."

Daryl didn't respond, just glared at Negan through his hair, his jaw clenched. Negan brought his face close, and Daryl refused to break his gaze.

"Get him up." Daryl was hauled to his feet and he shrugged the men off, observing Negan as Negan observed him in turn.

"Screw it." Negan hefted the bat up, swinging it at Daryl's face and for a moment, a brief second, Daryl felt relief.

He would be joining Anamika.

Then Negan stopped the bat an inch from his face, seemingly impressed with how Daryl didn't flinch and Daryl felt guilt. He didn't deserve the peace of death when he hasn't even avenged Denise, Abraham and Anna's death. Not while this monster still walked.

"Wow. You don't scare easy. I love that. But Lucille, kinda pisses her off, she finds it disrespectful. Lucky for you, she's not feeling too thirsty today.  _But I am_.  _So_ ,  _I'm gonna go_ … get me a drink." The man chuckled, swinging Lucille over his shoulder as he walked out of the cell.

"Since you did so well in my little test, I'm gonna have my boys go easy on you. One time deal only, as I expect an answer next time." Negan whistled as he walked away, but Daryl wasn't listening to the man, more focused on fending off the blows that the saviors rained down on him. As hit after hit landed, his apathy returned and Daryl found himself not caring about the bruised flesh, his mind drifting away as he curled his body up.

After all, what did anything matter when she was not here.

WD

" _Faster. You need to be faster if you want to succeed."_

" _-miserable maggots, all of you! Get your asses up, go go go!"_

" _Faster you worm! You need to be faster, stronger, more efficient than any-"_

" _Congratulations Sergeant, you-"_

" _You've been chosen to participate in a Special Ops exp-"_

" _-a standard operation, all you need to do i-"_

" _-f course, with full benefits and bonus-"_

" _ **Just close your eyes. It'll be done soon…"**_

Anamika gasped and her eyes flew open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you guys go, this chapter was necessary to explain some things, so hope it answered some questions. I don't want to drag out Anna's unconsciousness, so yeah, she's awake, though she still has to recover. Let me know what you guys thought!


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys, sorry for making you wait, but here's the next chapter! It gets things ready for what's to come, though more of that will happen in the following chapter as well. Also, sorry for any mistakes you see, I typed this chapter and posted it almost immediately, so I didn't properly read through it again. Thanks for all the kudos and to Tay_Reads2797, Laura, Denise58 and Em for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika blinked up at the white ceiling, her thoughts moving sluggishly as she tried to remember what happened. Flashes of memories and emotions bombarded her mind and tried as she might, she couldn't make sense of them. Too much was happening at the moment, leaving her no space to sort out the deluge of thoughts. She swallowed, slowly lifting her hand, blinking at the shaky appendage that appeared in her blurry vision. She quietly opened and closed her hand, staring at her fingers as if to make sure they were attached to her body.

She glanced to the side, blinking until her vision swam into focus. It seemed she was in some sort of small room, outfitted with all the equipment and supplies a hospital had.

 _Not a room, a trailer_ ; her mind supplied. She blinked again. Carefully rolling on her side, she slid her one arm beneath her body, slowly pushing her torso up from the bed. She grunted as her vision swam and her head pounded, but she determinedly sat up. One hand rested delicately on her head as she winced in pain, but she still swung her legs over the bed. She paused for a moment, breathing through the nausea and dizziness, her entire body trembling violently as she tried to regain control of herself.

She didn't have quiet for long, as the next moment, the door was flung open and a light brown-haired man rushed in, his body lined with tension. She flinched and tried to jump up, to defend herself, but her legs buckled beneath her and she instead crashed to the floor. The man's eyes widened at the sight of her, but instead of attacking her as she thought he would, he hurried forward to crouch by her side.

"I would be happy to find you awake, but we have a problem at the moment. Saviors are coming and we need to hide you!"

She blinked owlishly, her body settling down a bit when it became obvious the man wouldn't immediately attack her.

"Saviors? What's going on? Who are you?"

"My name is Dr. Harland Carson, I'm with Hilltop. Rick brought you here after your run-in with Negan, hoping I could save your life."

"Wha-"

"I'll answer all your questions later, I promise. For now, we need to hide you! If the Saviors find you here, they will kill you! We don't have long, the gate guard let me know they'll be inside within five minutes. Come with me, quickly!"

Anamika decided to leave her questions for later, though she still felt confusion at the situation she found herself in. The man -Dr, Carson- helped her up from the floor, before slinging her arm around his shoulders. They made their way to the door, Dr. Carson peeking out of it, before opening it and helping her down the stairs. Anamika could hear the sound of trucks coming closer, as well as the gates opening slowly. She was led to the side, away from the gates, so that she and the doctor were ducking between the community walls and the back of the trailers, so that there was less chance of someone spotting them.

He led her to a small patch of dirt, where she could see one wooden cross sticking out of a dirt mound. Guiding her around it, to the trailer, he helped her bend down, until they were kneeling. Closer to the ground now, she could see a small crawling space beneath the trailer and when the doctor motioned towards it, hurrying her on in frantic whispers, she crawled into the darkness. She had to wiggled a bit and finally curl her body up, but she managed to fit into the space. She had one moment to breath slowly, before he shifted a barrel partially in front of her, making sure no one could see her. Breathing deeply, she tried to keep her calm, telling herself she cold easily get out if no one came back to get her.

It felt like she was waiting for hours, tense in the darkness and hearing men shouting and moving stuff. She felt around her in the darkness, her hand closing around a rock and clutching it to her chest, ready for if someone unsavory found her. Her vision swam in and out of focus, though it was a bit difficult to judge how bad it was, given the darkness that surrounded her anyway. Finally, it started to quiet down and she heard trucks pulling away. It felt like the smothering atmosphere that settled around the community was lifted, though the general fear that hung in the air continued.

She waited, uncertain if it was safe for her to come out, when at last, she heard several footsteps coming closer. Tensing her muscles, she softly shifted into a better position, holding the rock ready, in case it wasn't the doctor that greeted her as the barrel began to move. A kind face peered in to her and she relaxed, her vision going dark in relief for a few seconds, as Dr. Carson's voice told her it was safe to come out. Releasing the rock, she crawled out, before taking his hand as he helped her up. Blinking against the sun, it took her a few moments to realize they weren't alone.

Behind the doctor, stood four people, one man and three women. Though, she wasn't sure if she would call one of them a woman, rather a teenage girl. She blinked at the happiness on their faces, tensing slightly when one of the woman, with short brown hair and gentle eyes, rushed forward and flung her arms around Anamika in a hug. Looking over her shoulder, she saw a kind man with dark hair smiling, as if he couldn't be happier. The teenage girl was also smiling, while she thought she saw a smile on the stern looking woman to her right, her eyes soft.

Finally, the lady in her arms released her and stepped back, wiping a tear from her cheek as she beamed up at her.

"Anna, you can't imagine how happy I am to see you! We...we weren't sure you would wake up."

Cocking her head to the side, Anamika frowned, blinking as her gaze roved over the woman's face in front of her, before she responded.

"I'm sorry, but have we met?"

WD

Sasha leaned against the side of the trailer, her brow drawn in a scowl as she watched Dr. Carson talk to Anna. When the woman had shown no recognition of anyone in their group, it had been as if a dark cloud had descended upon them, even as they introduced themselves to the amnesiac woman. The doctor had told them that memory loss is one of the possible consequences of the injury Anna had suffered and that it was probably temporary. He assured them that it might take time, but the chance of her recovering her memory was big. When Glenn had worriedly informed him that Anna had lost her memory before; had, in fact, lost her entire life before the apocalypse began, the doctor seemed a bit more concerned, but decided to remain optimistic until he found evidence of something else.

Glenn was sitting besides Maggie, keeping her tucked into his side as Enid sat on his other side, chewing her lip anxiously. Dr. Carson was asking Anna to push and pull against his hands as hard as she could with her arms, before having her walk around, turn in circles and stand with her eyes closed as he gently nudged her around to see how her balance was. Though she stumbled a bit and seemed a lot weaker than Sasha remembered, especially when she recalled their fight together in the clearing against the walker horde, she also didn't seem disorientated.

Even when the doctor stated he was going to now test the nerves of her brain, by having her smelling various salts and tasting something with her eyes closed and then asking her what she ate, by gently touching her face and shining a light in her eyes, her reactions where normal. Finally, Dr. Carson stepped back, telling Anna she could sit down on the bed.

"Well, everything seems fine. There's some swelling on your head, but it doesn't seem to have affected you more than the amnesia and slight dizziness. The dizziness should go away after a few hours if you take it easy. The amnesia is a bit more unpredictable, honestly, I can't promise anything. It can be days, weeks or years before you recall anything, maybe even never. You can perhaps recalls short flashes of memories or entire periods of time, it really depends on each individual case. The only advice I can give is to try to experience everything and to listen to what your friends can tell you. Something may trigger your memory."

Anna nodded, but Sasha could see the slight worry behind her cool facade, the same facade Sasha wore after Bob and her brother's death and had partially reverted to after Negan's demonstration.

"For now, you can sleep in the infirmary, just for a few days so I can observe you and make sure you won't relapse. The laceration to your neck is healing good, we managed to catch the infection in time and as long as you continue to take these antibiotics for a further two weeks, you should be fine." Anna took the pills, her gaze turned downward as the doctor left them on their own. Finally, she glanced up, her eyes resting on each of them before they settled on Sasha. Sasha could understand why, as even she had trouble looking into Maggie and Glenn's mournful gazes as they stared at Anna.

"So...We're in the apocalypse? What, did a nuclear war break out?" Sasha smiled slightly at Anna's sarcastic tone, before she stepped forward and swung a chair around, straddling it backwards.

"Not quite. The dead started walking." Anna blinked at her, her mouth slightly ajar, before she slowly pursed her lips. She glanced around the room again, before Anna's gaze swung back to her.

"You're not joking… The dead started walking? Like, came back to life?"

"Not exactly," Glenn interrupted, his voice serious, "They are up and walking, but they have no heartbeat and the only way to kill them for good is to destroy their brain. They eat flesh, though it doesn't seem to really interest them anymore after it's not longer living and has lost its warmth. They seem to mostly operate on instinct, vision and sound and doesn't seem to be capable of thought. For example, they'll climb stairs, but they can't climb a ladder."

Anna nodded, blinking, "So, how did I come to be here?"

"We met you some months ago," Sasha stated, folding her arms over the back of the chair as she talked, "when Daryl brought you back to Alexandria, our community. You were never very open about everything that's happened to you since the apocalypse started, but we do know that you had no memories of anything that happened before it. You apparently had some flashbacks that you told Daryl about that pointed towards you being military before, but nothing concrete."

"Why would I tell this Daryl about my flashbacks? Was he my doctor?"

Sasha snorted, coughing into her arms as she tried to contain her laughter. The giggles and chuckles from behind her showed that the others hadn't even tried. Anna had an annoyed expression on her face as they laughed that sobered Sasha, though her smile stayed on her lips.

"No, definitely not. Daryl is a gruff redneck with a crossbow that would sooner shoot you than patch you up. He's extremely loyal to family, which our group are to each other and…" Sasha looked at Anna, hesitating over whether she should tell her about their relationship, but Maggie took that decision out of her hands.

"You two were together. Have been for a few months now. You loved him and he loved you." Sasha saw the shock on Anna's face, the way she blinked owlishly at them.

"What?" Glenn and Maggie smiled and nodded, glancing at each other lovingly and Sasha wanted to throw up. She didn't condemn them their happiness, but it just reminded her that she had that and, just like with Bob, it was ripped away before it had time to really blossom. Her heart tore at remembering Abraham saying he wanted to have kids with her, the baffled happiness she had felt at his tender words and loving gaze, the way his gentle eyes drew her in deeper than even Bob's did.

She let out a breath, trying to bury her tormented thoughts, something that became easier when Anna spoke up again and distracted her.

"W-Where is he then? If we really l-l...loved each other, wouldn't he be here with me?" A dark cloud seemed to press down on them and Sasha glanced at her family's unhappy faces, sighing, since she knew it fell to her to tell Anna what happened.

He would be, if he could. There is this group, called the Saviors, that takes over community's and rules over them with fear. You had possibly gotten attacked by them recently, hence the cut on your neck. When you woke up from the coma, Rick, our leader, wanted you to get to Hilltop, as they had a doctor that could take a look at you. Maggie also experienced some problems with her pregnancy, so we made our way to the Hilltop."

"You're pregnant? Congratulations," Anna interrupted Sasha, looking at Maggie, who smiled and thanked her. When Anna's attention returned to her, Sasha continued.

"Due to something that happened before, Daryl and some other members of our group was already outside the walls, searching for the saviors. It ended up that the saviors set a trap for all of us, capturing us and bringing us all to one place, where there leader greeted us. His name is Negan." Sasha saw something flash across Anna's face and she sat up, her eyes narrowing.

"What? Do you remember Negan?" Anna frowned, seeming to think deeply, before she shook her head, lifting her eyes to them.

"No, I had a flash of something, of flames and red, but it's gone now." Sasha nodded remembering what Anna had told them on the RV.

"That makes sense. Before we were captured, you told us that you had run into them before, that you even burned down some of their buildings," Sasha wanted to laugh at the weirdly proud expression Anna had, competing with the baffled one she sported since they began their explanation, but soldiered forth, "Anyway, Negan threatened us and to drive his point home, he decided to kill one of us. His target was you."

Anna sat back, blinking, before her gaze sharpened, "How am I still alive then? And what does this have to do with why this Daryl isn't here?"

"Be patient, I'm getting to that," Anna huffed but Sasha ignored her, "He hit you with his bat, but A-Abraham, another of our group, tackled him. Dr. Carson believes that's the only thing that saved you. A...A…" Sasha took a shuddering breath, trying to speak his name, but her heart seemed to shrink and her throat squeeze shut every time she tried. Glenn reached over, his hand warm and comforting on her shoulder as he took over for her.

"Abraham wasn't so lucky. Negan killed him. Negan also took Daryl as a hostage when they left, which is why he isn't here. Otherwise, he wouldn't leave your side."

Sasha squeezed her eyes shut, exhaling slowly, before she opened them, finding Anna looking at her, her gaze serious and not filled with pity like so many others' has been.

"We'll avenge him. I owe my life to him and I'll make sure this Negan doesn't get away with his murder." Somehow, hearing Anna, who had always been strong and dependable, say this, even as she trembled and shivered, reassured Sasha more than any other words of comfort could. She nodded, her expression determined and her shoulders straightened.

Anna was right. They wouldn't let Negan get away with this.

WD

Carl looked straight ahead, his mind buzzing in circles as he sat next to Negan in the truck. His mission to kill Negan hasn't gone as planned, instead he had been caught and taunted by Negan, while the psychopath showed him around the compound. He had taunted his scar, the way his eye pulled slightly to the side as the scar stretched his skin, the way his ear was slightly bent and twisted where the bullet had clipped it. Anamika had always told him he should be proud of his scar, that it showed that he had survived, but Negan made him recall all those insecure feeling he had upon first seeing what his face had become.

He was further sickened when he saw the numbers Negan had, the total power he had over his people, the way they knelt when he walked into the room and the harem of women he kept for his pleasure. Carl couldn't imagine living under someone like that and he resolved to talk to his dad again, even if seeing all this only made it clear that going against Negan alone was suicide.

But worst of all, was seeing Daryl. Daryl in the dirty overalls with an orange A sprayed on his shirt. Daryl who was pushed around and tormented by Dwight, treated like a slave. Daryl, who's eyes briefly sparked in fury when he saw Carl, before they deadened again. Carl knew that Daryl thought Anamika was dead, but he hadn't realized how badly that had affected the man. Only now, did he see the slump in his shoulders, the way his head hung and he hid his face behind limp hair. He had stopped fighting and Carl couldn't have that.

Carl knew Jesus was somewhere close by and that he would try and free Daryl, but at this rate, he didn't think that Daryl would actually try to escape. He didn't seem to put any effort into anything. He had to let Daryl know that Anamika was alive, but how to do it, when Negan didn't leave him alone for a second and now they were leaving.

"Daryl!" Carl looked up at Negan's shout, knowing this would be his last chance. But how to do it without letting Negan in on it as well?

"You seem worried so I'm taking the kid home to his dad." Carl's eyes widened as he had a thought. As far as he knew, Negan only knew Anna as Miss A, or maybe Anna, he couldn't remember exactly what he called her. He didn't know her full name and Carl couldn't use it, as he was sure Negan would be able to derive that Anna came from Anamika, but there was another name Daryl would know. One that only Daryl used, in fact. Carl made sure to catch Daryl's eyes, before he turned as if he was talking to Negan, even though his words were meant for Daryl.

"My dad might not be there, he was going to go scavenging with Aaron and Mika for supplies."

Negan had turned to him as he spoke, which Carl was grateful for, as that meant he missed the way Daryl's eyes widened and his sharp in-drawn breath.

"Is that so?" Carl nodded, but made sure he quickly glanced towards Daryl as he did so, answering the desperate question in the man's eyes and Carl saw out of the corner of his eyes the way Daryl closed his eyes and bent his head.

Just as Negan turned back to Daryl, he looked up and Carl was elated to see the fire burning in Daryl's eyes again.

"If you hurt him…!"

"Dwight! Daryl needs a time out, put him back in his box for a while." As Dwight dragged Daryl away, Carl could do no more than start the truck and pull away, heading back towards Alexandria with Negan at his side. It was not the way he had planned for this day to go at all.

But at least Daryl knew now, and Carl thought that was worth this entire botched trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done and the groundwork laid. I'm going to try my best to have the next chapter up by next weekend, root for me;)


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, sorry for the late chapter, I was planning on posting it on Sunday, then I got sidetracked by trying to figure out my story timeline vs TWD canon timeline that doesn't exactly match (I have team family wander around for an extra 100 days before they meet Aaron) and then I thought I posted this chapter and only realized today I hadn't and I didn't even finish typing it, silly me.
> 
> But, enough of my excuses, thanks for all the kudos and to Em, Denise 58, SevenRuby and zozozo for commenting! O yeah, I have a piece of dialogue in this chapter I basically copy and pasted from a movie, tell me if you see it, I also give a incredibly massive hint towards what movie in the chapter:)
> 
> Enjoy!

Anamika slowly strolled through the community, her gaze taking in the hustle and bustle of the people making a living there. Glenn and Maggie had said something about a checkup with Dr. Carson, Sasha went off somewhere on her own and Enid had trailed after the couple as she left. Anamika had requested that she get some time to think, to process what was going on in her mind.

She was in the apocalypse.

The dead were walking again.

She was part of a group.

The group was family.

She loved someone.

_And she had lost all memory of it._

She sighed, ambling along with no sure destination, trying to wrap her mind around the almost two years she had lost. Apparently she met the group about two months ago, though she met the guy she "loved" almost a year ago, though briefly. Maggie and Glenn had told her all about how she had met the Daryl and eventually the group, while Sasha had told her about her involvement in their community.

_Her community._

She sighed as she sat down next to the grave of their group member that had died, her feet having somehow led her here when she wasn't paying attention. She drew her knees up and rested her folded arms on them, laying her head in the cradle of her arms as she stared at the crude grave marker.

Her mind wandered to Daryl, her… lover. According to Maggie, she and Daryl got together about a month ago, though they've been dancing around each other a lot longer than that, If Maggie was to be believed. It seemed strange to her, that she would love someone, especially if the vague scattered memories in her head was to be believed.

Memories from before the apocalypse.

Maggie, Glenn, Enid and Sasha doesn't know that she has some of her previous memories, that she apparently lost when they knew her and she wasn't sure when she was going to tell them. It wasn't that she was trying to hide it from them per say, but she wanted to make sense of it before she told others about it. It wasn't clear-cut memories and it didn't even really feel like they belonged to her. It felt more like she had watched a movie-reel of her old life, as if she was a third party observer in her own life.

She couldn't even remember her name, though she could more or less figure what happened in her life. Her eyes were fixed on the grave marker, though unfocused as her memories played out in front of them.

_She stood in a large mess hall, clothed in drab grey clothing, surrounded by a multitude of other children whispering in a subdued manner. Her hands clutched at her tray, her hair neatly pulled back in a ponytail as she waited in line. The kitchen staff stood at the front of the line, dishing tasteless porridge and bruised apples onto the kids' trays. She shuffled forward, her eyes focused on her tray as she held it out to receive her porridge and apple. Scooting to the side, she grabbed a small plastic cup, filling it up with water, before walking to an empty table. No one joined her, though she didn't expect them to anymore. She'd quickly made a name for herself in the orphanage, the eight-year old violent girl who's been to four different orphanages in less than a year. They talked about how she ran away from her first orphanage, how she physically attacked the matron at her second orphanage and how the third orphanage shut down because they couldn't deal with her._

_What they didn't know was how the matron's son at the first orphanage touched her when everyone else was sleeping and how she ran away before he could do more. They didn't know how the matron at the second orphanage hit her and one day, when the matron dared to hit her with a belt in a drunken rage, she'd taken the empty whiskey bottle and hit the matron over the head with it. They didn't know how happy she was in her third orphanage, how the elderly lady that looked after the kids there had the warmest smile and the softest hugs, but such a frail body and health that the elderly lady died two months after she arrived at the orphanage and it had to shut down due to low funding and personnel._

_Now she was in her fourth orphanage, but after she had hit a boy who teased her on her second day there, the kids stayed far away from her. She didn't mind, she didn't want to be friends with them anyway. She can take care of herself just fine, she didn't need anyone else._

Anamika blinked, focusing on the cross in front of her face, before sighing as she lifted her head and looked at the clear sky. So she was an orphan with an unhappy past; somehow, this didn't surprise her. Her mind drifted into her scattered memories again.

" _Welcome to the Green Beret Selection program. You have volunteered for the most intensive military training known to man. In spite of your expertise in the U.S. Army Forces or the rank you achieved in those forces, many of you will not successfully negotiate this program. Those that do will experience an operational tempo that far exceeds that of any unit within the U.S. Arsenal. I will now turn you over to my Command Master Chief…"_

_She stood at attention, her gaze focused straight ahead as the Command Master Chief addressed her and the rest of the recruits. She knew she was the youngest of the recruits, at the tender age of 20 while the next youngest recruit was 22 years old. She had enlisted in the army when she was 17, serving her required 3 years of military training and reaching the rank of corporal. When her direct superior had recommended her for the Green Berets, she had accepted without question, even though some were cautious because of her age and status as a female._

_She knew this wasn't going to be easy, as the only woman in the recruits and she also knows that no other female has managed to complete the training for the Green Berets. She just knew that she wasn't going to give up and that she was going to give her everything to complete this training. Joining the military was her way of escaping the orphanage and the people who didn't understand her or even try to. It was a outlet for her anger and violence, but it also taught her discipline and patience, something which she was truly grateful for._

_Despite the difficulties and hardships she experienced during her service, she also made friends that she knew would stay for life, men that she would and had trusted with her life. She could see the subtle glances the men threw at her as she stood among her and though she felt irritation at the thought of having to prove herself worthy to be there once again, she also looked forward to showing these men that it was dangerous to underestimate her._

Anamika sighed, she couldn't remember everything about her training, mostly pain, exhaustion and more pain, with harsh voices shouting and insulting her on long, cold nights. She vaguely remembers graduating, becoming part of the Green Berets, though she doesn't remember how long that was before the start of the Apocalypse. Seeing as she estimated her age to be in her late thirties, she assumed she served for more than 10 years, probably closer to 15 years. She has no memories of anything other than the military and assumed it had been her entire life.

Well, except for the last set of memories she had.

A set of memories that was vaguer than the rest and more scattered. It seems as if she entered an experimental program that was sponsored by the military, but what that program entailed, she couldn't say. She remembered lots of people in lab coats, a Sergeant Major of the Army and numerous tests. She remembers harsh lights, needles, intensive training, but… she couldn't remember what the point of it all was. She guessed it didn't matter now, this far into the Apocalypse.

Sighing, she returned her gaze to the cross next to her, reaching out and gently dragging her finger over the wood. A flash of red colored her vision and she blinked, realizing she was smiling. She had no idea why she would be smiling, albeit sadly, or why the color red entered her thoughts. She didn't remember this man, but maybe it's just because Sasha had told her she wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for him, wasn't for Abraham.

"Hey." She looked up, seeing Glenn crouched across from her, his kind eyes studying her. She straightened, leaning back on her hands as she straightened her legs.

"Hey."

"Look, I know this must be overwhelming and that you don't know us, but I just wanted you to know that if you ever need something, you can come to me, even if it's just to talk. For us, you're family." Anamika smiled, a warmth filling her at Glenn's words. She couldn't help but believe his sincere words and even though she felt like a stranger in her own body, knowing that these people cared for her really helped her feel less lost.

"Thanks Glenn. I'm a bit lost, to be honest. It's hard to believe the Apocalypse started and that the dead are walking. Seems a bit unreal." Glenn observed her for a moment, before he slapped his hands on his knees and stood, smiling.

"Alright, how about I take you outside the walls. Not far, just to show you what you're facing. I know you're still not entirely recovered, but I'll be there and you won't have to fight at all if you don't want to."

Excitement filled her body and though she knew it probably wasn't the right response to being told her life was going to be placed in danger by dead people trying to eat her soon, she couldn't help but feel restless and excited to get outside the walls. She jumped up, pausing for a moment to steady herself as her body trembled, but she eagerly followed Glenn. She stood by impatiently as he talked to Maggie and accepted the bolo machete Sasha handed her, that was apparently hers. It felt right in her hand and she swung it around a few times, her entire body relaxing as she did. She realized she was smiling again and that people were watching her, so she straightened her expression and followed Glenn out the gates, walking along the walls until they reached the woods.

"There's bound to be a walker somewhere, but we might have to move a bit further out, as the patrols try to make the surrounding area walker free." Anamika nodded and followed the korean man, her eyes flitting about the woods. The longer they walked, the more relaxed her body became, till muscles she didn't even know were tense loosened. She was once again sure this wasn't the appropriate response, but being in the nature like this just felt  _right_.

Glenn was speaking quietly, telling her all about her group, describing the various members and telling stories. She felt a smile tugging at her lips and heard a faint giggle as he talked about Judith, the apple of everyone's eye, including hers apparently. She could feel a chill racing down her spine and smell baked goods when he talked about Carol, which she thought was an odd reaction, but decided not to dwell on it. Her fingers twitched with a ghost sensation of soft hair under them as he laughingly told her about all the trouble Carl got into the last two years and how it probably took years off Rick's life expectancy.

A pair of incredibly intense blue eyes flashed in her mind as he spoke of their fearless leader Rick and how she, along with Daryl, had basically become Rick's second in command. She felt vaguely reassured at the feelings his stories inspired, knowing now for certain she didn't completely lose her memories as just hearing about them inspired these feelings and flashes. Yet when he spoke about Daryl, all she could see in her thoughts was a green feathered bolt, clutched in her hands. She thought she would have a bigger reaction for a man she supposedly loved, but before she could think on it further, she heard a sound to her left.

Stopping, she automatically crouched down, vaguely aware of Glenn having followed her example, her ears straining to hear more. She soon heard a sort of moaning, grunting sound and she frowned, trying to find the source. Glancing towards Glenn, she met his eyes and saw him mouthing something at her.

_Walker_

She nodded, standing up and walking in the direction the moaning was coming from, as it didn't seem to be moving closer. It wasn't long before she saw the dead person and she paused, observing the creature in front of her. Calling it a person wouldn't be entirely true anymore, she guessed. The walker was missing both it's legs from the knees down and she could see the bone sticking out. It's flesh was so decomposed its guts were spilling out as it dragged itself forward. There was almost no flesh on the lower jaw and she could clearly see the rotting teeth as it gnashed them at her. Crouching down, she cocked her head, not worried as it tried to reach her. By the pace it was going, it would take a few minutes to reach her, giving her enough time to observe it.

"You said they only die from a head wound?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm." Standing, she strode over, kicking the walker in the jaw onto it's back. She supposed it used to be a middle aged man, but now it was just a rotting monster. Bringing her machete down, she easily sliced both its arms off and planted her boot on the middle of its chest, keeping it in place despite its struggles. She took a deep breath, shaking of the slight dizziness that came with her sudden movements, before she bent down. Holding her hand above the creatures face, she slowly moved her hand slowly from side to side, seeing the dead milky eyes slowly follow the movement, though not the entire way before it returned to her face as the walker snarled. Taking her machete, she made a small cut on her finger, barely bigger than a bad papercut and immediately the walker's struggles increased as it snapped its teeth.

So, that meant they had eyesight, but it didn't seem to be very good and their concentration was practically non-existent, but their sense of smell was very good. The walker had immediate;y smelt fresh blood and responded to it.

"What are you doing?" Glenn asked, his voice anxious as he hovered next to her.

"I'm just trying to see their reflexes etc." Glenn nodded, biting his lip as he frowned.

"Makes sense. This one is quite decomposed, its reflexes would be more sluggish compared to a fresh walker." Anamika nodded and turned her attention back to the walker. Though she trusted Glenn and the others' words, she also wanted to see for herself how these walkers had to be killed, even though it was obvious they're not alive anymore. Stabbing her machete where she instinctively knew the heart to be, she watched as it didn't even twitch, didn't seem to realize there was a machete stuck in it's chest. Next, she beheaded it and watched as the body fell still, but the head continued to gnash its teeth at her. Finally, she stabbed her machete through it's rotting forehead and the groaning moans finally fell silent.

She stepped back, flicking the gore off her blade and wiping it on the grass.

"Well...Now I ha-" Her head shot up as more moans filled her ears and by the way Glenn tensed, he heard them as well. She automatically listened and counted and thought she could hear five sets of moans and shuffling feet. Crouching down, she held up one fist as a signal to wait for Glenn as she scanned their surroundings.

Looking at her companion, she saw his determined gaze and nodded, holding up five fingers and pointing to her 3 o' clock with two fingers. Flicking her fingers to herself and to her right, she motioned for Glenn to go left and then crept through the underbrush, searching for the walkers she could so clearly hear. Finally, she spotted them and she crouched behind a tree, peeking around and seeing that there were five, just as she thought. When she saw Glenn behind a tree on the other side of the group of walkers, she held up three fingers, slowly counting down. When her last finger dropped, she jumped out from behind the tree, immediately slicing through the head of the closest walker.

One part of her mind was keeping tabs on Glenn's situation, making sure he was alright, but mainly she was focused on dispatching the dead people in front of her. She kicked the next walker down and knelt on one leg as she stabbed the machete through its head. The slight displacement of air behind her and the shadow that fell over her caused her to immediately dive over the walker she just stabbed, rolling, turning and coming up in a crouch as she evaded the walker that tried to ambush her from behind.

However, she had forgotten that she was still recovering and the next moment, her vision spotted and her body swayed as her head pounded. She could hear the walker, but couldn't see it reliably and couldn't focus as she felt like throwing up. She fell back, her body collapsing back as nausea welled up in her throat, followed by fear, as she couldn't protect herself like this.

"Anna!" Blinking, she saw Glenn's knife stabbing through the walker's ear, the creature collapsing as she lifted a trembling hand to her forehead. Glenn knelt in front of her, his hand on her back as his other cupped her face.

"Hey, you alright? It didn't get you right?"

"Ugh, no, I'm good. Just, stupid head, didn't exactly agree with my mad G.I. Jane skills." Glenn chuckled, sitting back and patting her shoulder.

"I imagine not, you just woke up. Maybe it was a bit early to bring you out here."

"No, I appreciate it. I wanted to see what you guys were talking about and… it feels right out here."

She couldn't quite understand the smile Glenn gave her, the cheeky tilt to his mouth, but she just rolled her eyes as he commented on her and Daryl being two peas in a pod. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, trying to get rid of her wooziness.

"You sure you're good?"

"Yeah, just need to rest for a bit, stabilize myself. Give me ten minutes."

It took them twenty minutes before they started making their way back, as she waited for the worst of the pounding in her skull to die down before standing, nodding her head to let Glenn know she was fine now. He kept a close eye on her as they made their way back, but she felt fine, other than a faint headache that she could probably ask Dr. Carson something for it. When they arrived back at the Hilltop, they had been gone for a little more than a hour and Maggie was waiting for them.

Glenn immediately went to his wife, smiling as he put his arm around her. Anamika waived off Maggie's concerns about her headache, saying she's just going to pop in by Dr. Carson to get a Tylenol or something, before she was going to go lie down for a nap. The woman nodded, smiling and Anamika smiled back before she left them.

Dr. Carson was more than happy to give her two Tylenol and she swallowed them down with a glass of water. Breathing out slowly, she rubbed her forehead and sat in silence for ten minutes, her shoulders relaxing as her headache slowly died down to a dull echo in the back of her mind. Dr. Carson had left to go get some food and she reckoned now would be a perfect time to catch a short nap. She was just about to lie down, when she heard the sound of a engine coming closer. Frowning, she sat up, hearing the people outside scrambling around and making a general commotion.

Standing, she could hear Enid calling out to Maggie and Glenn, her voice excited and Anamika opened the door to the trailer as she heard the gates to the community opening. The sound of the engine was overpowering now and she soon saw it belonged to a motorcycle. There were two men on the motorcycle, the one getting off first wearing a trench-coat and blocking her from seeing the other man clearly.

Walking down the steps, she tried to figure out what was going on. Maggie, Glenn and Sasha were gathered around the two men that had arrived, talking excitedly and hugging them, while Enid stood back smiling at the group. She cocked her head to the side when Glenn looked up, seeing her and smiling widely. He turned back to the man she still couldn't see clearly, saying something to him and gesturing towards her.

It was like the red sea parting, the way the people standing between her and the mystery man stepped to the side, giving her a clear view of the man. Brilliant blue eyes peeked at her from under dirty brown strands of hair and she felt like she received a blow to her chest as she stumbled to a stop. She couldn't move her body as a strange emotion swept through her, filling every corner of her. She felt short of breath and her eyes burned, though she couldn't say why.

She saw the man freeze, his entire body trembling just like hers, though she still didn't understand her reaction or even his. She couldn't think on it either, as all her attention was on the man now getting off the bike and walking towards her, then jogging, then running.

He barreled into her, lifting her off her feet as his arms wrapped around her like steel bands, his face tucked into her neck as he squeezed her to him. Instead of struggling and shouting, she found her own arms wrapping around him, her own face nestling into his neck. She strangely didn't mind the smell of sweat, dirt and unwashed body as she breathed in deeply and she realized distantly that she was crying, but that was alright because he was crying as well. Her heart seemed to crack open and spill over, making her feel light and warm, as if a fire was lit inside her and this man was the fuel to it.

She still didn't know who he was, though she could guess by his and her reaction. She didn't miraculously remember him and her memories of him were still missing. But though she couldn't remember who he was or how she knew him, one thing did become clear to her when she had first seen him, when she wrapped her arms around him and clung to him, crying.

She loved this man like she had never loved anyone else before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think? I struggled a fair bit with this reunion scene, since I couldn't decide if she would get all her memories back when she saw Daryl or only remember him or nothing at all. I hope you guys liked what I decided to go with in the end. Next chapter will have a Daryl PoV from him escaping to arriving at Alexandria to seeing her, so you have that to look forward to. Also, did you guys catch the movie bit I copied and pasted basically?


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I finally watched the new season of Walking Dead and it wrecked me. I just can't. Honestly, it made it really difficult to write the next chapter, as I had to consider if I wanted it to impact my story or not and just had to recover a bit. On the other hand, I love Daryl and Dog, so I might write Dog into the story without following the plot of the later episodes.
> 
> But, after toil and trouble, here is the next chapter and it contains mostly feels. Very emotional chapter and 90% Daryl's PoV, with him figuring stuff out. Thanks for all the kudos and to JCJ58, zozozo and Denise58 for commenting!
> 
> Enjoy!

Daryl grunted as he slammed the pipe into Fat Joey's skull, red decorating his makeshift weapon.

"Daryl!"

He grunted and slammed it down again, rage pushing him further than he would go normally. He had been drowning in apathy for so long that he felt overwhelmed with his anger now, lashing out at anything and anyone. Where he had wanted to die before, Carl's words now restored strength and vitality to his life.

_Mika_

_Anamika_

_She is alive_

The sharp wave of joy that rushed through him with Carl's coded message had soon been overshadowed by a burning determination to escape from the Sanctuary, followed by fury as vast as the forest; at Dwight for everything he did to him, at the saviors for blindly following Negan and at Negan, for almost killing Anamika and killing Abraham. So when the note was slipped under his door that said 'Go now', he didn't hesitate.

Which lead to him now, bashing Fat Joey's brains in, his body trembling in rage.

"Daryl!" He looked up, finally acknowledging Jesus and stepping back as he breathed hard, glancing at his handiwork before looking at Jesus' shocked expression.

"It ain't just about gettin' by here. It's about gettin' it all... I got the key. Let's go." He swung his leg over his bike, Jesus getting on behind him as he started the motorcycle and sped out of the compound. The wind blowing past him, the utter freedom he had on the bike, relaxed his body in a way he hadn't relaxed since Anamika came back to Alexandria with a cut throat. He knew he couldn't go back to Alexandria, as that would be the first place Negan looked for him and seeing as Jesus was here, he knew he would go to the Hilltop. The fact that the Hilltop had a doctor and would thus be where Anamika most likely was, also made him more excited to get there. He listened to Jesus' shouted directions until he reached an area he recognized and then sped up, knowing they were close to the community.

Soon the tall wooden walls came into view and he heard a shout and raised voices from within, before the gates opened to admit him and Jesus. He parked the bike and was immediately surrounded by Maggie, Glenn, Sasha and Enid, the other Hilltop residents coming closer but still keeping their distance.

"Daryl!" He accepted Maggie's hug, though he hid his face in embarrassment as the pregnant woman sniffled. Glenn was smiling and clapping his shoulder, while Sasha smiled as she moved closer, touching his arm before standing back. He could barely look her in the eye, knowing that Negan had killed Abraham, who was trying to save Anamika. The fact that her man died to save his girl made him feel guilty, useless and unworthy all at the same time. He could see the pain in her eyes and it distracted him from Maggie's words and Jesus' replies. It was only when Glenn addressed him, smiling widely, that he drew himself out of his self loathing.

"Daryl. I think there's someone who's been waiting to see you." He looked up to where Glenn was gesturing, the people between him and her parting and affording him his first view of her.

He had known, logically, whom Glenn was referring to and knew, logically, that she should be here, but it wasn't until he saw her, met her blue eyes framed by curling auburn hair that was cut haphazardly on the one side, that his heart caught up.

Anamika's familiar gaze met his, her eyes shining with emotion and her skin flushed with life as she paused, seemingly rooted to the spot. As if in a daze, he got off his bike, walking towards her, jogging towards her,  _running_  towards her, not able to stand the distance between them. When his arms wrapped around her body and her warmth sunk into him, he felt like a puppet that had their strings cut, as his entire body slumped in relief and quivered, clutching her so close that not even a millimetre of space existed between their bodies. He was aware of her arms wrapping around him, of him crying into her hair as their bodies trembled together, of her hot tears against his neck.

He opened his eyes, turning his head to the side to see where Negan's blow had glanced off her skull, the ugly bruise and long row of stitches. His breath hitched and he held her tighter, his lips gently pressing against her hair as he convinced himself that she wouldn't disappear. He was finally home and nothing would take her from him again.

While he was content to just hold her, to make sure he could feel her breathing in his arms, he felt her move back and reluctantly let go, wiping his tears discretely as he saw her do the same. It was only when he met her gaze again, now closer, that he realised something was wrong. There was something off with her eyes, something different in the way she looked at him. He could feel the same intensity in her gaze, the same… love, dare he think it, that she always showed when looking at him, but something was missing. The warmth, the intimacy her gaze always inspired, was gone.

Before his mind could make sense of it, could try and figure out this puzzle, Glenn came forward, laying his hand on Daryl's arm, as he smiled at Anamika.

"Anna, can you give me a moment with Daryl please?" Her gaze turned cautious and… anxious? Nevertheless, she nodded, her eyes glancing towards him again before she looked back at Glenn.

"I'll be with Abraham." Daryl watched with confusion as she walked off, and Glenn seemed to understand, as he murmured softly at his side, "She means Abraham's grave."

Daryl watched as her form disappeared around a corner, before Glenn's sigh pulled his attention back. He didn't know what Glenn wanted to talk about that couldn't wait and he also didn't understand Anna's reaction to him. Sure, she cried and clutched at him like he did at her, but beyond that, there was no… intimacy in her actions. She acted as if nothing had happened, as if he had just gone out on a short run and they saw each other less than an hour ago.

"Daryl, we need to talk about Anna."

"Wha' about her?" He grunted, his hackles rising at Glenn's hesitant expression.

"Daryl, the blow to her head…It… It really-" Daryl felt dread rising in his gut as Glenn struggled to say what he wanted to say and his brow furrowed and eyes narrowed as his anxiety grew.

"Spit it out man!" Glenn looked at him, his kind gaze more fearsome than a hundred walkers, as Daryl could practically taste the pity in them.

"Daryl, the blow caused her to lose her memories. She has no recollection of anything that happened since the dead started walking. Dr Carson is sure that her memories will return with time, but we're not sure how long or how much she will recall."

Daryl felt like he took a blow to the gut, his eyes wide and his body frozen. His mind struggled to process what this meant, struggled to process Glenn's words.

"We told her about us to try and jog her memory, but at the moment, she doesn't remember us." Daryl knew what Glenn was really trying to say. She didn't remember him, daryl; she didn't remember their relationship.

Anamika, the only woman he'll probably ever love, didn't remember him and they weren't entirely certain she would. Turning, he shook off Glenn's hand, stalking away and secretly glad when he heard Glenn stop Maggie and Jesus from following him. He had to think on his own.

He climbed up the ladder to the top of the wall, looking out over the world outside Hilltop's walls, his mind sluggishly plowing forth in its effort to make sense of everything. It felt like he was there for a few minutes, but the next thing he knew, the sun was low in the sky and he was no closer to comprehending this situation. A throat cleared behind him and he turned his head. Glancing through his hair at the intruder, his shoulders hunched as he saw Sasha standing behind him.

"Jesus thought you might like a shower. I volunteered to show you where it is." Daryl knew where the showers where, as he had been here before, but he also knew that Sasha knew that and she just wanted an excuse to talk to him. Probably to rage at him and blame him for Abraham's death. He knew he deserved it, so he silently followed her as she climbed down from the outlook. They made their way up to the house, the silence stretching between them like an open wound. He kept his gaze on the ground, his fists clenched so that his knuckles whitened as his skin stretched across them.

"I don't blame you for Abraham's death. He was a good man who couldn't stand to see the people he cared about being hurt. He wanted to save Anamika and he did, so he died the way he wanted to. I miss him, but I am so proud of him, of the man he was. The only person to blame for Abraham's death is Negan and he will get what's coming to him." Daryl blinked, ignoring the burning in his eyes as he silently nodded. Sasha didn't look at him, but she inhaled slowly, before letting it go, her shoulders straight.

"Abraham is gone and nothing I do can bring him back. But Anamika is still here and you have the chance to bring her back. So,  _bring her back_."

Having arrived at the bathroom, Sasha finally looked at him, her eyes steely and hard, before she nodded and walked away. He closed the door behind him, barely noticing the pile of clean clothes as he stripped off his dirty overalls and turned on the shower. Stepping under the spray that was gradually getting warmer, he braced his hands against the walls. When the water pounding on his back became scalding hot and his wet hair sticked to his face, the burning in his eyes finally won.

Head hung low, shoulders slumped and body wrenching with his sobs, he cried.

It was a few minutes later that his tears stopped and he gasped for breath as he tried to regain his composure. He lifted his face to the spray, allowing the hot water to wash away his shame, before he efficiently washed his body and hair with the soap bar. Turning off the water, he roughly toweled himself dry and finally noticed the clean clothes, which he slipped on quickly. He had an urgency to his movements that wasn't present before and he walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs quickly, his eyes flitting about. He encountered Sasha, Maggie, Glenn and Jesus on the porch and it was Sasha who first noticed him.

"She's still at Abraham's grave. It's around the corner, behind the last trailer." He nodded his thanks to Sasha, jumping off the steps and heading towards where he knew he would find Anamika. When he rounded the last bend by the trailer, the sun had just set and it took him a moment to see Anamika's body curled up in the dim light. Her knees were drawn to her chest and her eyes far away, her chin resting on her folded hands atop her knees.

The ground shifted beneath his feet as he came closer and her gaze sharped, her blue eyes critically observing him, before it dropped to the grave before her once more. He walked over and sat down besides her, not close enough to touch her, but close enough to feel her warmth. He wasn't sure if his proximity made her nervous, as he remembered how she was when he first met her, but this was the best he could do, as his heart and mind still craved proof of her life.

"Glenn told you." It was a statement, not a question, so he just grunted, unsure what to say. Silence, uncomfortable in a way it hadn't been for months, reigned between them. Finally, she broke it.

"I'm sorry." Daryl's head jerked up and his eyes widened briefly, before he looked away again, his voice gruff as he answered.

"Got nothing to be sorry for. Not your fault."

"But…"

"Yer alive. Tha's all that matters."

Anamika nodded, biting her bottom lip and before Daryl knew it, his hand was reaching out to tug her abused lip from between her teeth. He froze when she did, before his hand jerked away and he hid his face behind his hair.

"Sorry."

"No! No, it's fine. I...I don't mind." Daryl nodded, but still felt uncertain how he should act around her, a far cry from his easy camaraderie he usually had with her.

"You know… I get these flashes when people tell me about the group. Not really memories, not really full images, but more sensations, sounds and emotions. Even though I can't remember them ,when Glenn talks about them, I can feel Carl's hair beneath my palm, Judith's giggle in my ears, Rick's intense blue gaze, Abraham's red hair… It's not with everyone and it doesn't make much sense, but it's something."

Daryl glanced up at her, unsure where she was going with this, but willing to listen to anything she was saying.

"With you… It's not so much sensations or sounds, nothing as shallow as that. With you, it's like this wave that starts deep in my body and completely pulls me under," She inhaled slowly and he could see her hands trembled where she clutched them. He realised, quite suddenly, that she was nervous, but he didn't have more time to think on it, as in the next moment her shoulders steeled and she turned towards him, her gaze determined, "It's an emotion that fills me up and feels like it's stitched into the very fabric of my body."

Though trembling like a leaf in the wind, one of her hands lifted and Daryl inhaled sharply as it came to a rest on his cheek, her thumb caressing his cheekbone gently.

"I don't know if I've said it before, but you need to hear it now, in light of everything that's happened. I might not remember our time together, but Daryl,  _I love you_ , with  _everything_  I have. I know and can feel that much clearly."

Daryl squeezed his eyes shut, but the warmth on his cheek and her swiping thumb let him know some tears escaped despite his effort. He lifted his hand, clutching her hand to his cheek as he looked down, nodding. She sighed softly, scooting closer and her lips gently touched his forehead, before her hand pulled away to settle in her lap as her head rested on his shoulder. Composing himself, he looked up at the night sky, his body leaning against hers and his thoughts quiet as he just revelled in her presence.

She might not remember him, but that doesn't mean it's the end. He won't let it end like this. He'll bring her back, no matter what he had to do.

WD

Anamika stared up at the ceiling, Daryl's slow, even breaths comforting in the darkness of the room. After her earlier confession of love to Daryl, they had both sat in silence for a bit longer, enjoying the night air in a much less awkward silence than what was between them before. After that, when they had prepared to go to bed, she had been strangely reluctant to leave Daryl's side and she could see he felt the same way but wouldn't say anything; so she proposed they slept in the same room, but separately. Thus she was lying in her bed in a trailer that was vacant, Daryl asleep on the pull out couch across the room, and desperately trying to fall asleep.

Her efforts were for naught though, as she remained wide awake, her mind spinning with the day's events and the tumultuous emotions Daryl had inspired in her. Honestly, she had not expected her reaction to seeing him for the first time, and she felt almost betrayed by her body, by the way it completely swept her feet from under her. Yet at the same time, she didn't want it any other way.

It felt like a war was raging inside her, as she didn't have any memories of this guy and logically should have no reason to feel this way. The strength of her emotions frightened her and made her want to retreat into herself like a turtle, yet her own military training screamed at her to confront the situation and take it head on. She had a feeling though that the way her training would have her approach the situation would be all wrong.

She sighed, rolling onto her side, her eyes falling onto Daryl's sleeping form. He twitched every so often and she wondered if he was dreaming. She watched his eyelids flutter, the way his mouth pursed and relaxed, the arch of his nose and the strands of hair that fell over his face. His face was relaxed in sleep, one arm tucked behind his head as he lied on his back. The other arm hung off the side of the couch, even though there was plenty of space on the couch.

Looking at him, he was certainly handsome enough, in a rugged, masculine way; which she admit appealed to her. As someone with a military background and who underwent harsh training, she could appreciate his muscles with a different eye, as she knew the hard work they screamed of and how fit he kept his body. She felt it was a good idea, especially with the world the way it is now; much better than the soft form of Gregory that spoke of a comfortable life and weakness.

Daryl grunted in his sleep, rolling so that his back faced her and she stared at how strong and broad it was. She had expected a much harsher man with how the others described him, but had found a surprisingly soft man. He had been gentle, listening to her and giving her space, but also letting her know in his own way he was there for her. When she looked into his eyes, it was as if he poured molten lava into her with the love she could see there. His touch had been desperate when he held her to him, but then he had thought she had died, so she could understand that.

Huffing, she sat up, quietly swinging her legs over the bed's side and padding across the room to where Daryl slept, her steps completely silent. Crouching down by the side of the couch, her hand reached out, her fingertip softly tracing the lines of Daryl's back, her mind wondering how she could ever feel this way. She was so confused and wary, but also willing to give this a chance.

The muscles in Daryl's back tensed, but she didn't take her hand away, instead continuing trailing her fingers across his back in strange lines, as if she was tracing something she couldn't see. She thought she felt the skin raised beneath her fingers, but before she could investigate further, Daryl turned around, his eyes intense as their gazes met, but not moving or saying anything otherwise.

A perfectly silent moment passed between them, the air filled with something she couldn't quite describe or recognize... and then Daryl blinked and scooted backwards, a silent invitation. She knew he would never ask or tell her, but he would offer and she found herself unwilling to refuse that offer. Standing up, she slid into the provided space, still warm from his body heat, lying curled on her side, facing him with her knees drawn up and her hands cradled together on the couch in front of her chest. Daryl closed his eyes, seemingly going back to sleep, and she did the same, trying to shut her brain down.

She kept her eyes closed as she felt him move and he drew the blanket up to her shoulders, tucking it around her, before his hands clasped hers and he breathed out. They didn't touch otherwise, but she could feel the warm line of his body curving around her, an inch away from her form and she smiled. She had never felt this comfortable and safe while serving in the army and honestly thought it wouldn't be possible, her paranoia far too bad to allow her to relax this way.

Yet with Daryl's warmth a protective barrier around her, she felt her lips twitching into a smile as she fell asleep, their hands still clasped together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, despite that it was super late and not that long. Let me know what you thought, because writing all these feelings has a chance to sound really OC, especially when it comes to Daryl, as he's not really open about his feelings.

**Author's Note:**

> There you go, first chapter and almost the only actual interaction till chapter 8 or so. I would love to hear what you guys think, I never thought I'd tackle a Walking Dead fic and am quite nervous. Please let me know if you want to me to keep posting even if I'm not done with the fic yet or if you'd rather wait. I hope it caught your interest and hope I manage to put my own unique spin on it. Thanks for reading!


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